The life of Dr. Sijuwade Olaniyi-Oloyede is a testament to resilience, service, and a lifelong dedication to humanity. Born on the 27th of May, 1965, in Nigeria, she entered a world where education, discipline, and compassion were prized virtues. Her parents, Mrs. Lora Oloyede and Chief, Captain, Rufus Olaniyi-Oloyede, embodied those values and instilled them deeply into their children. Her father, a military officer who later became a customary judge, represented authority, fairness, and community leadership. Her mother, remembered for her generosity and simple kindness, was known for sharing food and resources with neighbors and strangers alike. These twin influences—discipline and compassion—became the defining compass of her journey.

Her childhood was rich in movement and cultural exposure. Owing to her father’s military career, the family lived in different regions across Nigeria. This not only cultivated adaptability but also gave her the ability to communicate across languages and communities, embracing Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Bayelsa alongside English. The family’s travels exposed her to diverse traditions and ways of life, and when the time came for stability, her father placed her and her siblings in boarding school to anchor their education. In that environment, she developed a sense of responsibility, resilience, and ambition. Academic achievement in her home was non-negotiable—her father, known for pasting report cards on the wall for everyone to see, encouraged competition and excellence. In that atmosphere, she grew determined to make education her lifelong pursuit.

Dr. Sijuwade’s academic path reflects both perseverance and evolution. From her Higher National Diploma in Administration at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, to later studies in the United Kingdom—including degrees in Health and Social Care, Professional Health Studies, Health Care Management, and Project Management—her education was never an end in itself but a tool for service. Each qualification became another layer of capacity, allowing her to understand systems, lead people, and design solutions for those in need. Her studies mirrored her ambition: to combine managerial competence with compassion for the vulnerable.

Her career, both in Nigeria and the UK, bears the imprint of adaptability and service. She began with roles in teaching, banking, and corporate environments before her calling in healthcare crystallized. The transition to the UK marked a shift: she moved from corporate work into direct care, starting with foundational roles in health and social care agencies. These early experiences were demanding, involving work with young people with autism, mental health conditions, and challenging behaviors. Yet, they offered her the chance to practice patience, creativity, and empathy on the frontline of care. Her approach was never to see limitations but to identify hidden strengths. She believed in empowerment, and her work bore fruit—whether in guiding a young man with autism to train as a barista and later build a family, or in helping refugees navigate the maze of language, law, and livelihood.

One of the most defining chapters of her career came with Independence Way Ltd, where she managed a semi-independence project for young refugees. Arriving without English, often carrying trauma and uncertainty, these young men found in her not just a house manager but a surrogate mother, teacher, and advocate. With Google Translate, pictures, and persistence, she helped them acquire language, enter education, and secure legal status in the UK. She became their guide through solicitors, housing, and benefits. She was the steady hand in their crises, the one who encouraged them when failures loomed, and the first person they called to share triumphs like passing a driving test. Her pride was not in what she achieved for them, but in watching them build independence and dignity.