First female Head of Service of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Civil Service Commission, Mrs Grace Adayilo, who is also known as Mama Africa, passed away in the early hours of Monday.
Adayilo’s death was confirmed by the President of Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA), Pastor Danladi Jeji, who was collaborating with the deceased on a project.
“Mama Africa and me were planning to celebrate Her Excellency, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, today, Monday September 1, 2025. Now, our creator have done it for us by calling Mama Africa home to be with the Lord,” Pastor Jeji said.
In a touching tribute posted on the FCT Stakeholders’ Assembly Platform, Jeji expressed his grief, writing: “You have finished the race. You have done it. My heart is very, very heavy. The God Almighty who is all in all have called you to be with him.”
A distant relative of the family also confirmed the tragic news, revealing that the late Head of Service, who was also a pastor, attended church service on Sunday and ministered to the congregation without showing any signs of illness or stress.
Adayilo’s appointment by President Bola Tinubu on October 6, 2024, was a historic first becoming the first female and first indigenous Head of Service for the FCT, succeeding the pioneer, Dr. Atang Udo Samuel.
Her appointment was widely seen as a significant milestone, breaking long-standing gender and geographical barriers.
