Dorothy Akerele (née Jackson; 1913 – 2007) was a British‑Nigerian musician, social hostess, and the wife of the pioneering Nigerian surgeon Dr John Oni Akerele. At the time of her death she was described as the oldest British national residing in Nigeria and was regarded as a matriarch of a prominent Yoruba family.
Early life and background
Dorothy Jackson was born in 1913 in Dulwich, London. She was of mixed ancestry, including Nigerian, European, and Native American descent. Her father, Ellis Jackson, was a noted jazz musician who performed with the Billy Cotton band, and she and her sister Bessie performed as travelling variety artistes alongside him.
Career and social activity
As a musician, Akerele performed in various venues in the United Kingdom. After marrying Dr John Oni Akerele in 1941, the couple established a home in Kilburn, north London. Their residence became a gathering place for members of the African diaspora and emerging African nationalist leaders, including Nnamdi Azikiwe (later Nigeria’s first president) and Jomo Kenyatta (future president of Kenya). Akerele was noted for her hospitality and for fostering connections among African intellectuals and activists during the decolonisation period.
Later life
Following Nigeria’s independence in 1960, Akerele and her youngest son, Richard, returned to Nigeria, where she continued her involvement in cultural and social circles. She remained a respected figure within both British and Nigerian societies until her death in 2007 at the age of 93.