Funmi Iyanda facts for kids

Funmi Iyanda, born Olufunmilola Aduke Iyanda on July 27, 1971, is a famous Nigerian TV host, producer, and journalist. She's also known for helping others and sharing her thoughts online. She created and hosted a popular TV talk show called New Dawn with Funmi. This show was on national TV for more than eight years, making her one of Nigeria's most-watched TV stars.

Funmi Iyanda is the leader of OYA Media, a company that creates different types of media. In 2011, she was honored by the World Economic Forum for her online video series. Forbes magazine also named her one of the "20 Youngest Powerful Women in Africa."

Early Life and Education

Funmi Iyanda was born in Lagos, Nigeria. Her parents were Gabriel and Yetunde Iyanda. Her father was from Ogbomoso and her mother was from Ijebu-Ode. She grew up in the Lagos Mainland area. Sadly, her mother passed away when Funmi was only seven years old.

Funmi went to African Church Princess Primary School and Herbert Macaulay School in Lagos for her early education. She then attended the International School Ibadan for her secondary education. After that, she studied at the University of Ibadan. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography from the university.

Starting in Television

Funmi Iyanda began her journey in television by producing and presenting a breakfast show. It was called Good Morning Nigeria. This show had special parts that made it unique.

Heroes and Street Life Segments

One part of Good Morning Nigeria was called "Heroes." This segment celebrated people in society who had done great things. Another part was "Street Life." Unlike many shows at the time, "Street Life" went out into the city. It looked for interesting stories about everyday Nigerians.

The show often focused on unfair situations faced by people. It especially highlighted problems for women and children. Good Morning Nigeria was shown on many TV channels across the country.

Sports Journalism

Funmi also had a strong interest in sports. She decided to explore sports journalism. She worked on a documentary about the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations. She also covered big sports events like the 1999 female Football World Cup. She reported on the All Africa Games in Zimbabwe. Funmi also covered the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games in Sydney and Athens.

New Dawn with Funmi

In 2000, Funmi Iyanda started her own talk show called New Dawn with Funmi. It was shown every day on NTA 10 Lagos. The show became very successful. It was the longest-running show on NTA that was made independently.

Funmi Iyanda has also written for several newspapers and magazines. She wrote regular columns for Tempo Magazine. Sometimes, she still writes as a guest for Farafina Magazine. She has also written for PM News, The Punch, Daily Trust, and Vanguard Newspapers.

Talk With Funmi

After taking a break for two years, Funmi Iyanda returned to TV in 2010. She launched a new show called Talk with Funmi (TWF). This TV show was directed by Chris Dada. Talk With Funmi traveled all over Nigeria. It visited different states to capture stories and conversations from people across the country.

My Country: Nigeria

In 2010, Funmi Iyanda finished making a special documentary. It was called My Country: Nigeria. This documentary had three parts. It celebrated Nigeria's 50th anniversary of independence. The BBC World Service aired the documentary. One part of the documentary, "Lagos Stories," was nominated for an award. It was nominated for “Best News Documentary” at the 2011 Monte Carlo Television Festival in Monaco.

Chopcassava Web Series

In 2012, Funmi Iyanda and her creative partner, Chris Dada, released Chopcassava. This was a web series, meaning it was shown online. It documented the fuel subsidy protests that happened in Lagos, Nigeria, in January 2012.

The series showed an inside look at the protests in Lagos. People from all walks of life joined the protests. They were demanding that the government reverse a big increase in petrol prices. Chopcassava could not be shown on Nigerian TV. It was nominated for an award at the 2012 BANFF World Media Festival in Alberta, Canada.

Community Involvement

Funmi Iyanda is a member of the African Leadership Institute. She is also a Tutu Fellow. She takes part in the ASPEN Institute's Forum for Communications and Society.

In 2012, the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, honored Funmi Iyanda. He recognized her strong dedication to supporting women's rights. This happened after she returned from a five-day trip up Mount Kilimanjaro. The United Nations organized the climb. It was to raise awareness about ending violence against women and girls. Climbers from over 32 African countries joined this important journey.

Funmi Iyanda also served on the boards of Farafina Trust and Positive Impact Youth Network. She participated in the Occupy Nigeria protests in January 2012. These protests were against the government's decision to remove fuel subsidies.

Recognition

In 2014, Funmi Iyanda was recognized by the BBC. She was named one of the BBC's 100 women of 2014.