In Part 2 of this powerfully layered episode, we return to the ever-unfolding story of Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, picking up the thread, quite literally, of her metaphorical wrapper.
In African tradition, the wrapper is more than fabric. It is identity. It is inheritance. It is presence. It covers, it protects, it speaks without sound. And in Bisi’s hands, the wrapper transforms, becoming sanctuary, strategy, andsymbol. Her wrapper carries stories of advocacy and resistance, of generational wisdom and political boldness, of ancestral whispers and future blueprints.
In her 2020 book Where Is Your Wrapper?, Bisi shares a defining story, one that continues to shape her vision of womanhood, solidarity, and social responsibility. She recalls a moment in a Ugandan marketplace where a woman suddenly went into labour. Instinctively, the other market women circled around her, raising their wrappers to form a makeshift wall of dignity and care. It was quiet, unspoken sisterhood. No orders given. No questions asked. Just womenwrapping around one of their own, literally and spiritually.
That image stayed with Bisi, becoming both metaphor and mission. She often says that every woman should be ready to “bring out her wrapper”, to cover, to protect, to hold space for others when the world offers no shelter. The wrapper, to her,is a living symbol of duty, empathy, kindness, and power shared.
As First Lady of Ekiti State, she wore her wrapper not just with elegance but with deep intention, using her platform to spearhead key legislation against gender-based violence, fight stigma around HIV and mental health, and establishprotective policies for minors and vulnerable communities. She didn’t just step into leadership, she wrapped herself in it, redefining what it means to wield power with empathy and vision.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when sexual violence surged behind closed doors, Bisi joined other Nigerian First Ladies to declare an “Indefinite State of Emergency.” The result? A wave of legal reforms across 97% of Nigerian states.But she didn’t stop there. That same year, she launched the Wrapper for Women Initiative, delivering support to over 60,000 households in Ekiti State. It was policy in motion, feminist care scaled into action, all inspired by the humble strength of a wrapper.
In this episode, Bisi reflects on the tension between civil society and government, the wisdom of having a backup plan, and the clarity that comes from knowing when to retreat, regroup, or rewrap. Her wrapper carries legacy, notjust for herself, but for the women she mentors, the movements she supports, and the communities she continues to nurture.
She reminds us that leadership doesn’t always roar, but it must always be rooted. That a wrapper, like purpose, isn’t something you pick up in passing, it’s something you wrap around your soul.
Where’s your wrapper?
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© Blurb written by Divine Karungi
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