In a country where the cries of the poor are often drowned out by noise, one voice stood out, not just to speak but to stir the conscience of a nation. That voice belongs to Adetoun Onajobi.
Nigerians were forced to confront an uncomfortable truth on March 31, 2025. A woman sweeping the streets of Ikoyi, Lagos at 5 a.m., earning just ₦19,500 a month, was accompanied by her young daughter, helping her work.
Each morning, she made the journey from Iyana Oworo with one child by her side while three others remained at home. By law, it was classified as child labour.
In reality, it was the product of poverty, a desperate response to impossible living conditions, a silent scream from the streets that too many have learned to ignore.
Adetoun did not ignore it. She saw the pain. She felt the weight. She spoke loudly, clearly, and publicly. Rather than shame the woman, she offered help: financial support, visibility, and compassion. She challenged others to do the same.
“This is not a matter of parenting. It’s a matter of poverty,” she said. Her post didn’t just go viral. It made people stop, think, and act.
This is what Adetoun does best. With over 20 years of experience and a PhD in Social Work, her work goes beyond activism. It is rooted in transformation. Her NGO, Feed a Child Community Initiative, exists to feed, educate, enlighten, and dignify.
Whether she is rescuing a child, supporting women, or exposing injustice, she brings humanity into the headlines.
Her courage is grounded in faith. Raised in a Christian home and spiritually mentored by Prophet T.B. Joshua, Adetoun believes that true advocacy must be guided by compassion. She also believes that the truth must be spoken with love, even when it is uncomfortable.
Beyond direct outreach, Adetoun tells stories through art. Her stage play, African Values, teaches young girls to hold on to their identity, embrace their culture, and know their worth. It is a message just as important as food and shelter.
She has received awards such as the Woman of Distinction and the Most Outstanding Humanitarian of the Year. But recognition is not what fuels her. Change does.
What started as a single post became a movement, a wake-up call, a challenge to society. All sparked by one woman who refused to let a child’s suffering go unseen.
In the right hands, one voice, loud, clear, and full of purpose, can change everything.
