Princess Nurse Omo-Oba Adenrele Ademola

When World War II broke out in 1939, Britain needed all hands on deck — and Omo-Oba nurse Ademola stepped up. She continued to serve as a nurse throughout the Blitz and the most intense periods of the war. This Nigerian princess worked on hospital floors during air raids, treated the wounded and comforted the frightened.

Omo-Oba nurse Ademola didn’t draw attention to herself, however she didn’t disappear into the background either. In 1943 the British Ministry of Information produced a short documentary film called Nurse Ademola designed to be shown in West Africa to encourage support for the British war effort and highlight the contributions of Africans. The production documented her daily life in London, from waking up in her nurse's quarters, to attending lectures and caring for patients.

So here’s one for the records — a Nigerian princess (a literal princess) who served as a nurse in the UK during World War II. Her name is Omo-Oba Adenrele Ademola.

Omo-Oba Adenrele Ademola was born in 1916, part of Nigeria’s royal lineage — the daughter of Oba Ladapo Ademola II, the Alake (or ruler) of Egbaland, in what is now Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria. That’s where the “Omo-Oba” comes in, it literally means “child of a king.” So from birth, she had status.

In 1935, she travelled to Britain, a rare move in itself at the time, especially for a young Black woman and African royal. But she wasn’t there for ceremony or sightseeing, she came to enrol as a student nurse at Guy’s Hospital in London, one of the top training institutions in the country. By all accounts, she was a hard worker, well-liked, and wholly committed to her profession.

Omo-Oba Adenrele Ademola and Prince Felix Akenzua visit the House of Commons in 1951

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