Spotlight for the Week: Mr. Taiwo Akinlami

In a continent where child protection often lacks the systems, structures, and urgency it deserves, Mr. Taiwo Akinlami stands out as one of Africa’s most consistent and compelling voices for child safeguarding, protection, and family empowerment. For over two decades, he has dedicated his life’s work to redefining how institutions, communities, and governments engage with children’s rights.

With a career that began as far back as 1988, he has transformed personal conviction into continent-wide advocacy, legal reform, and institutional change. Today, he stands tall as Africa’s most respected Family Strengthening Advocate, Parenting Ideologue, and Child Safeguarding Thought Leader, whose work is respected both continentally and globally for pioneering policy-shaping frameworks and scalable systems that empower families and institutions to protect children responsibly.

Mr. Taiwo Akinlami sees the law not simply as a tool of regulation, but as an instrument of social change and engineering. He firmly believes that the law forms the bedrock of civil society, governing every aspect of human interaction, particularly the protection of our precious children.

His legal expertise and advocacy have played critical roles in the development of key national policies such as the Child Rights Act of 2003, the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, and other foundational documents that continue to influence child-focused institutions across Nigeria.

Regional Influence and Global Impact

Akinlami’s influence spans over 250 national and international organizations, including:

• UNICEF

• British Council

• European Union (RoLAC project)

• UNFPA

• SOS Children’s Villages International

• USAID

• Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Agency (DSVRT), Lagos State

• Lagos State Government (Ministries of Education, Youth & Social Development)

• Global Rights

• Teach For Nigeria

Through these partnerships and independent engagements, he has directly impacted an estimated 10 million children, youth, caregivers, and parents, with his contributions spanning education, justice, humanitarian policy, child welfare, and safeguarding systems.

Pioneer of the S.A.F.E.® Model

Mr. Akinlami is the architect of the widely acclaimed S.A.F.E.® (Securing A Friendly and Protective Environment for Children) and Family Strengthening Project, a comprehensive model that integrates policy, training, legal protection, and social mobilization. The project has been implemented in several African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and Ghana, and was showcased by Facebook and Google at the EMEA Child Safety Summit in 2017.

The project is rooted in African-sensitivity and contextual realities, codifying safeguarding principles into actionable institutional policies and practice-based processes. These are used to train teachers, parents, social workers, government officers, and every stakeholder working with or for children.

Children Information Bank

In March 2023, Mr. Taiwo Akinlami laid the foundation for one of his most visionary projects yet, the Children Information Bank. This initiative is designed to serve as a centralized digital knowledge hub for primary and secondary caregivers, scholars, practitioners, policy makers, and advocates.

This platform is his strategic response to the widespread need for accessible, relevant, and practice-based research for Global and African stakeholders, especially those working at the grassroots and institutional levels.

Mentorship, Media, and Institutional Training

Mr. Taiwo Akinlami is also a School Leadership, Core Skills and Teacher Competency Trainer for the British Council. In the United States, he serves as a Special Court Appointed Advocate for Children and a Mandated Reporter with the Franklin County Children Services in Ohio. His cross-continental work equips him with a globally informed, yet deeply African-rooted perspective on child development and protection.

In addition to his legal and advocacy work, Mr. Akinlami is an avid media contributor, having written for national newspapers like BusinessDay, The Sun, and Daily Independent. He is regularly consulted by print, radio, and television outlets for expert commentary on pressing national and international issues affecting children and families.

Lawrpreneurship® and Thought Leadership

Mr. Akinlami coined the term Lawrpreneurship® to describe a values-based, legally rooted model of social enterprise. His more than 260 published articles on the subject have been syndicated in leading publications and used to mentor young professionals and entrepreneurs working at the intersection of law, impact, and business innovation.

A Family Man with a Mission

Taiwo Akinlami is not only a public figure; he is also a deeply committed family man. He is married to his supportive wife, Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Akinlami, and they are blessed with a son, Tieriayooluwa. He refers to himself as a Goodwill Investor, living intentionally to add value wherever possible.

His personal mission is deeply anchored in building an egalitarian Africa and a world fit for children to thrive. His three-point vision is clear:

1. Strengthened families through mature advocacy and community-based social protection

2. Child-friendly environments built on codified policies and systems with consistent training

3. Rights-Based Parenting as the standard for child upbringing across Africa

Why We Celebrate Him

Taiwo Akinlami has successfully mainstreamed child safeguarding and family strengthening into public consciousness, legal systems, and institutional priorities. His tireless advocacy has brought the paramount issues of child rights, protection, and responsibility to the forefront of national discourse.

He has not only influenced policy and law, but he has also built tools, platforms, and institutions to ensure long-term implementation, training, and mentorship. He represents a rare blend of thought leadership, practice innovation, and moral clarity. He is not just working for children, he is redefining the systems that raise and protect them.