Olubanke King Akerele (born May 11, 1946) is a

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

n politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born Ellen Eugenia Johnson, 29 October 1938) is a Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa. Sirleaf was born in Mon ...

from October 2007 until her resignation on 3 November 2010. She is the granddaughter of Liberia's 17th president,

Charles D. B. King Charles Dunbar Burgess King (12 March 1875 – 4 September 1961) was a Liberian politician who served as the 17th president of Liberia from 1920 to 1930. He was of Americo-Liberian and Sierra Leone Creole descent. He was a member of the True Whig ...

. Akerele studied at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria and graduated from Brandeis University in Massachusetts, United States with a B.A. in economics. She earned her first M.A. from

Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...

in manpower economics, then a second M.A. from Columbia University in economics of education. Akerele also completed her first year at the University of Liberia

Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law is the law school of the University of Liberia in Monrovia, Liberia. Founded in 1951, it is named after former Chief Justice of the Liberian Supreme Court, Louis Arthur Grimes. The school offers a three-year prog ...

. She later served for over 20 years at the United Nations. Upon the election of Sirleaf as president in 2005, Akerele was appointed as the Minister of Commerce and Industry. Following a 2007 cabinet shakeup, she replaced veteran diplomat

George Wallace George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Alabama for four terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best remembered for his staunch segregationist and ...

as Minister of Foreign Affairs. On 3 November 2010, Sirleaf dismissed her entire cabinet, including Akerele. She resigned that same day. Following the appointment of Toga G. McIntosh as Akerele's successor, Sirleaf disclosed that Akerele had resigned in order to receive medical treatment for an undisclosed illness. King-Akerele with Obamas

Sources

"Liberian leader reshuffles cabinet" 24 August 2007, IOL.co.za

"President Sirleaf Calls Newly Reconstituted Cabinet ‘The Right People for the Job’" 4 December 2010, emansion.gov.lr

External links

Profile at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akerele, Olubanke King 1946 births Foreign Ministers of Liberia Living people Liberian diplomats Northeastern University alumni Brandeis University alumni Columbia University alumni University of Liberia alumni Female foreign ministers University of Ibadan alumni Women government ministers of Liberia Liberian women diplomats 21st-century Liberian politicians