Remi Sonaiya

Oluremi Comfort Sonaiya, born on March 2, 1955 in Ibadan, is a Nigerian politician, educationalist, and writer.

She completed her primary and secondary education at St. Luke's Demonstration School and St. Anne’s School in Ibadan before studying French at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).

In 1977, she graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University and later earned a Master of Arts degree in French Literature from Cornell University in the United States.

She also obtained another master’s degree in linguistics in Nigeria by 1984. Returning to Cornell in 1988, Sonaiya pursued a PhD program in Linguistics before transitioning into academia.

From 1982 until her retirement in 2010, she worked as an Assistant Lecturer and later became a Professor of French Language and Applied Linguistics at Obafemi Awolowo University by 2004.

She served as a fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and was appointed its Ambassador Scientist from 2008 to 2014, before shifting her focus toward political engagement.

In 2010, she joined the KOWA Party and became its National Public Relations Officer. She ran for president in the 2015 elections under this platform but lost with 13,076 votes.

Since then, she has remained politically active, though her most recent bid—representing Kowa Party again in the 2019 election—also resulted in defeat against Dr. Adesina Fagbenro Byron.

Sonaiya is a columnist for The Niche, an online Nigerian newspaper, and has published several books on culture, linguistics, and political reflections, including works like Culture and Identity on Stage and A Trust to Earn.

Married to Babafunso Sonaiya, she has one son, one daughter, and a grandchild. Her academic and literary contributions span French studies, linguistics, and public discourse.