18 Facts About Funmi Iyanda

Funmi Iyanda produced and hosted a talk show, New Dawn with Funmi, which aired on the national network for over eight years.

In 2011, Funmi Iyanda was honoured for her web series by the World Economic Forum and was named one of Forbes "20 Youngest Powerful Women in Africa".

Funmi Iyanda was born in Lagos to the family of Gabriel and Yetunde Funmi Iyanda.

Funmi Iyanda's father was from Ogbomoso and her mother from Ijebu-Ode.

Funmi Iyanda grew up in the Lagos Mainland area; however, her mother died when she was seven years old.

Funmi Iyanda attended the African Church Princess Primary School, Akoka, and the Herbert Macaulay School in Lagos, Nigeria, for her primary education and the International School Ibadan for her secondary education.

Funmi Iyanda then went on to the University of Ibadan, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography.

Funmi Iyanda explored her deep passion for sports by entering the world of sports journalism.

Funmi Iyanda worked on a documentary for the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations and she covered the 1999 female Football World Cup, the All Africa Games in Zimbabwe, as well as the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games in Sydney and Athens.

New Dawn with Funmi Iyanda started in 2000 and ran daily on NTA 10 Lagos.

Funmi Iyanda has written for PM News, The Punch, Daily Trust, and Vanguard Newspapers.

In 2010, after a two-year break, Iyanda returned to the screen with Talk with Funmi, a television show directed by Chris Dada.

In 2010, Funmi Iyanda completed production on My Country: Nigeria, a three-part documentary celebrating the 50th anniversary of the country's independence, which was aired on the BBC World Service.

Funmi Iyanda is a member of the African Leadership Institute, Tutu Fellow, and a participant of the ASPEN Institute's Forum for Communications and Society.

In 2012, Funmi Iyanda was honoured by the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, for her commitment to gender advocacy as she returned from a five-day UN advocacy trek up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Funmi Iyanda served on the Board of Farafina Trust and Positive Impact Youth Network.

Funmi Iyanda participated at the Occupy Nigeria series of protests in January 2012.

Funmi Iyanda was recognised as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2014.