All the way from Jamaica and Ottawa, the capital of Canada, retired teacher and Past District Governor (PDG) Fay Campbell (she was the Governor of Rotary District 7400, Zone 28, in 2021-2022) was in Nigeria recently for what can be described as revelation, discovery and spiritual homecoming. This was her first trip to Africa to connect with her ancestral roots in Nigeria in what turned out to be an emotional visit.
‘This is my first trip to Africa, and I’m in Nigeria to discover my ancestry’, 80-year-old Fay reveals, excitedly. ‘I know I’m a Nigerian, and that’s what is important; the tribe is secondary. I’m 90 percent sure that I’m Nigerian, and it is a great pleasure to be in Africa, my heritage’.
Campbell, a member of the Rotary Club of Ottawa South, Canada, is currently her District’s Interact chair. ‘In this role, I encourage young students to respect and care for each other. It is important for young people to show love for one another as they grow up because it has the power to heal wounds and make the world a better place’ she adds, with a prophetic tone.
She further says: ‘I’m keen to create a penpal-ship for secondary school students who are Interactors in Nigeria. That connection will expand their worldview and turn them into global citizens. These young ones own the future’. The Jamaican-Canadian also raised funds to support humanitarian causes in the United States, Columbia and Jamaica.
Campbell says confidently that a lot of Jamaicans have their ancestry in Nigeria. She was accompanied on this trip by her close friend of over 40 years, Dr. Shirley Braithwaite, 82, a forensic psychiatrist and Barbadian-Canadian, but she is not a Rotarian. Shirley describes herself as ‘a friend and supporter of Rotary’ through Campbell’s journey as a Rotarian.
When Campbell was District Friendship Exchange chair, Braithwaite travelled with her to Russia. She says Rotary connects people around the world. Braithwaite set up the Dr. Shirley Braithwaite Foundation a long time ago, with a mission to support education for black youth. She is a proud sponsor of RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Academy) participants in District 7400.
RYLA, by the way, is a leadership training programme that aims to develop young adults’ character and leadership skills while exposing them to Rotary’s values of service, high ethical standards, and peace. The programmes are designed to be intensive – usually lasting one week – featuring presentations, activities and workshops that cover various topics such as leadership, communication, problem-solving and community service.
Both Campbell and Braithwaite praised Nigerians, especially Rotarians, for their warm hospitality and kindness. ‘We feel very much at home’, says Braithwaite, appreciatively. She confirmed having family ties to Dr. Robert Agbowu, a medical doctor-turned pastry chef, who is based in Lagos.
The visitors explored the sights and sounds of Abuja and Lagos, gaily dressed in Nigerian costumes and sampled popular Nigerian cuisines that included as jollof rice, ofada rice, amala and ewedu/gbegiri with fish, moi moi, and pepper soup. For breakfast, they settled for continental menu with lemon and tea.
Campbell and Braithwaite attended the investiture ceremonies of the Governor of District 9127 (Joy Okoro) where she witnessed the induction of new Rotarians, and the President of the Rotary Club of Omole-Golden (Kunmi Adio-Moses), District 9111.
The two friends flew from Toronto to Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, transiting through Cairo. They shared fond memories of their stay in Nigeria, promising to return. From Abuja, they flew to Lagos and spent five days.
While in Lagos, Campbell and Braithwaite lodged at Adna Hotel, in GRA, Ikeja. This is the meeting venue of the Rotary Club of Ikeja South, District 9111. The club hosted them to a reception which coincided with District Governor Henry Akinyele’s official visit to the club on 17 July.
Interestingly, a member of the club, PDG Remi Bello, served in the same year with Campbell as District Governor. She was named Omotunde, Ngozi, Amina and Ebehireme – Nigerian names that connect her to her ancestry – during her cultural and genealogical exploration, part of her quest to reclaim a heritage once separated by history.
Campbell’s story is indeed one of rediscovery with a proud Nigerian heritage. Despite never setting foot on the continent until this visit, Fay who believes in destiny says the pull to Africa has always been strong. ‘I have to visit the national museum before I return to Canada’, she told me emphatically, after Googling the information on the location and how to get there.
Campbell’s homecoming mission began at the Rotary International Convention in Singapore last year where she met Past Assistant Governor (PAG) Oye Oyewo of the Rotary Club of Abuja Resettlement, District 9127, and member of the board of directors of the Rotary Action Group for Hepatitis Eradication.
She has always wanted to discover her ancestry, which led to the invitation for her to visit Nigeria by Oyewo who agreed to host her in Abuja. However, home hospitality was eventually provided by Rotarian Anthonia Unigwe as Oyewo had travelled abroad by the time Campbell and Braithwaite arrived.
In Lagos, PAG Ben Okhumale of the Rotary Club of Gowon Estate, Ipaja, District 9111, coordinated their visit, assisted by me (I’m an Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator for Africa, and a member of the Rotary Club of Lagos, District 9112), and Martins Olukayode, charter president, e-Rotary Club of Omole-Golden Impact, District 9111.
When they checked out of Adna Hotel, PDG Dele Balogun and his spouse, Yemisi, hosted the visitors for three days before they returned to Canada. While in Lagos, Campbell and Braithwaitevisited the J. K. Randle Centre, the Museum for Yoruba Culture and History, and local markets. They were also at Rotary project sites such as the Rotary Club of Omole-Golden neonatal building project at the General Hospital, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos.
Campbell is the second of four children; she has two sisters and a brother. She’s blessed with a 35-year-old son, Ward Lentz, a master’s degree holder in Public Health and an officer of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Before relocating to Canada where she joined Rotary over two decades ago, Campbell studied Cosmetology at the Leon School of Beauty Culture in Kingston, Jamaica.
Interestingly, she shares the same birthday – 6 February – with Bob Marley (1945 – 1981), the legendary Jamaican singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Marley was one of the most influential and iconic musicians of all time, known for popularising reggae music globally.
This article, with some amendments, was first published in the August 2025 edition of Rotary Africa Zone 22, Region 27 magazine
Braimah is a public relations specialist, marketing strategist and media entrepreneur. He is the publisher/editor-in-chief of Naija Times (https://ntm.ng) and Lagos Post (https://lagospost.ng), and can be reached via ehi.braimah@neomedia.com.ng.
