Rear Admiral Itunu Hotonu (born 18 January 1959) is a Nigerian naval officer[1][2] and architect.[3][4] One of the first women officers[5] and amongst the first architects in the Nigerian Navy, she has served as a staff college instructor and abroad in Liberia. In December 2012 she became the first female admiral in Africa.
Itunu Hotonu was born (as Itunu Tomori) on 18 January 1959.[6] By the age of 13 she decided that she wanted to become an architect.[citation needed] Hotonu studied architecture at the University of Nigeria, where she was often the only woman in her classes.[7][6] After graduating she worked in an architect's office for two years whilst she took her professional examinations.[6]
Hotonu applied to join the Engineering Corps of the Nigerian Army but was told there were no positions for women in that field.[8] She then applied to the Navy, which did not have gender restrictions.[6] She was accepted as an officer candidate at the National Defence Academy, Abuja, in 1985.[6][9] She was the first woman to attend the academy and graduated as best overall student in her class of 73.[9] She won the Commander-in-Chief's Prize and also the Commandant's Prize for best research project.[6] Hotonu became one of the first architects to join the Nigerian Navy.[6]
Hotonu was the first female officer to serve as an instructor at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji.[10][6][11] In 2012 she spent time in Liberia mentoring women in that country's armed forces.[9] She was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in December 2012, becoming the first female admiral in Africa.[9][12][13]
Hotonu is married to architect Abayomi Hotonu with whom she has three children.[6]