Olubanke King Akerele
Akerele at the African Union Summit in 2008
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia
In office
August 22, 2007 – November 3, 2010
Appointed byEllen Johnson Sirleaf
Preceded byGeorge Wallace
Succeeded byToga G. McIntosh
Minister of Commerce and Industry
In office
2006–2007
Appointed byEllen Johnson Sirleaf
Personal details
Born (1946-05-11) May 11, 1946
NationalityLiberia Liberian

Olubanke King Akerele (born May 11, 1946) is a Liberian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from October 2007 until her resignation on 3 November 2010. She is the granddaughter of Liberia's 17th president, Charles D. B. King.

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 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. 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 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.

Photograph of U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Olubanke King Akerele in 2009
U.S. PresidentBarack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the Metropolitan Museum with Olubanke King Akerele in 2009.

Sources

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