Public Administrator, Fashion designer, and beautician honored by the Oba of Lagos, Adeyinka Oyekan as Iya Oge of Lagos in 1973, Oprah obtained a B.Sc. degree in Education from Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Georgia in USA in 1958, and a Master’s of Arts degree in Education from Atlanta University, also in Georgia, USA. She obtained a Diploma in Administration from Pittsburgh University in 1961 and a Certificate in Communications from Michigan University in 1961. Mrs Benson had an im, UNILAG. She was a founding board member of NYSC in 1971 and as an assistant secretary to the Monrovia conference witnessed foundation laying for the formation of the Organisation of African Unity, OAU, a member of tpressive public service career both in Liberia and in Nigeria. She is a one-time administrative secretary to Organisation of African Unity, OAU (now African Union) Conference, Monrovia, and principal registrar, University of Lagos. She was a founding board member of NYSC in 1971 and as an assistant secretary to the Monrovia conference witnessed foundation laying for the formation of the Organisation of African Unity, OAU, a member of the Governing Board of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife between 1970 and 1977, as well as staff member of the University of Lagos. Oprah Mason Benson is a Liberian-Nigerian woman whose success in life lies in qualitative and sound education.
Although Oprah was in academics and spent all of that time at the University of Lagos, she had always had a special interest and love for the beauty industry. Her interest was in seeing people look good and feel good about themselves the way she liked to look good and feel good about her own self. At first she did it in a smaller scale, she had someone running a salon for her at Ikoyi Hotel and a boutique at Falomo Shopping Complex. At a point, Oprah felt she needed to give it more exposure and make better contribution in the field, so decided to quit her job at the University of Lagos in 1978.
Born February 7, 1935 Arthington, Liberia, Oprah met her husband, T.O.S. Benson while he was attending a conference in Liberia. She was at the time the assistant-general of the Monrovia Conference and a lady in her 20s, doing a job which was meant for older people[i]. A year later, she married Otunba T.O.S. Benson, in 1962, and had one son, one daughter[ii]. She authored Otunba T.O.S. Benson: His Life and Views[iii].
[i] Westerner September 28, 2009
[ii] Newswatch Who is Who
[iii] Insider February 14, 2005