Honorable Bukola Oriola is a distinguished international public speaker, bestselling author, mentor, advocate, entrepreneur, consultant, and award-winning journalist. A survivor of labor trafficking and domestic violence, Oriola has transformed her experiences into a lifelong mission to support victims and empower survivors.
Appointed to serve on the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking from 2015 until 2018, she was appointed to serve on the International Survivors of Human Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC) by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in 2021 for two years. She currently serves on the advisory board for Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking (BEST).
Oriola holds an Associate Degree in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria; a Bachelor’s degree in Individualized Studies focusing on Community Leadership and Diversity from Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, Minnesota; and a Certificate in Online Journalism and Multimedia from the Institute of Journalism, Berlin, Germany. She practiced journalism for six years in Nigeria covering the education beat where she bagged “The Cadbury Education Reporter’s Award” before moving to the United States.
As the author of two memoirs, and at least 10 books, Oriola shares her journey to inspire and educate others. Her work has reached millions globally, providing practical solutions to service providers and community members seeking to assist victims of human trafficking and domestic violence.
Oriola is the founder and Executive Director of The Enitan Story, a Minnesota-based nonprofit dedicated to advocating for victims and empowering survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. Additionally, she is the owner of Bukola Oriola Group, LLC, a business that helps individuals become entrepreneurs or share their authentic stories through video production, book publishing, and small business development. She launched L Magazine (Lipstick, Lip Balm and Literacy) to provide a platform for indie authors to share their expertise and creative work. The magazine talks heart-to-heart with the reader, encouraging authors to adopt some of the tips shared by fellow authors to be a success in their “authorpreneurial” journey.
Her tireless efforts and dedication continue to leave a lasting impact, fostering resilience, empowerment, and positive change worldwide to:
- Equip organizations with the tools and resources for effectively engaging with SMEs with lived experience.
- Learn various ways that organizations can engage survivors as SMEs with lived experience beyond sharing their personal storytelling/testimony.
- Foster mutually beneficial relationship between organizations and SMEs with lived experience.
She was awarded Change Maker 2009 by the Minnesota Women’s Press for her courage. The Imprisoned Show was born as a result of Bukola’s feeling that there is a dire need to fight human trafficking in every community by educating the public through the broadcast media.
To invite Bukola to be keynote speaker at your event, presenter in your community or group, book her today. She is also available for book signing and book discussion at colleges and book clubs.
Some of media Reports, conferences and book signing About Bukola Oriola
White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/12/16/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts
Imprisoned Show: http://www.imprisonedshow.com/2015/12/21/founder-of-the-enitan-story-bukola-oriola-appointed-to-serve-on-us-advisory-council-on-human-trafficking/
Metropolitan State University: http://www.metrostate.edu/news/student-bukola-oriola-speaks-internationally
ABC Newspapers, Anoka: http://abcnewspapers.com/2015/07/20/survivor-ready-to-bring-her-message-home/
The Pixel Project: http://reveal.thepixelproject.net/2015/05/the-survivor-stories-project-2015-bukola-oriola-38-nigeria-usa/
The Nation: http://thenationonlineng.net/human-trafficking-bringing-story-back-home/
Punch: http://www.punchng.com/ill-engage-students-in-anti-human-trafficking-campaign-oriola/
The Nation: http://thenationonlineng.net/human-trafficking-my-life-as-a-victim/
The Punch: http://www.punchng.com/obama-appoints-nigerian-on-human-trafficking-council/
The Guardian: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/12/obama-appoints-oriola-nigerian-journalist-on-us-human-trafficking-council/
African Leadership Magazine Blog: http://africanleadership.co.uk/blog/?p=5401
Ventures Africa: http://venturesafrica.com/meet-bukola-love-oriola-from-a-human-trafficking-victim-to-a-member-of-the-united-states-advisory-council-on-human-trafficking/
Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/minnesotan-named-on-us-advisory-council-on-human-trafficking/364681641/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nigerias-39-years-old-bukola-oriola-member-us-advisory-kayode-osokoya
ABC NEwspapers, Anoka: http://abcnewspapers.com/2015/12/30/former-victim-to-serve-on-u-s-advisory-council-on-human-trafficking/
Truth To Tell: http://www.truthtotell.org/content/truthtotell-monday-jan-20-human-trafficking-part-2-survivor%E2%80%99s-story-bukola-oriola
Anoka Ramsey Community College: https://www.anokaramsey.edu/en/News/CurrentNews/humantrafficking.aspx
North Metro TV Talk Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg5DVWLFJ48
ABC Newspapers: http://abcnewspapers.com/2014/02/07/local-human-trafficking-survivor-bukola-oriola-invited-to-white-house/
Minnesota Women’s Press gives Bukola Oriola Change Maker of the Year Award:http://www.womenspress.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=3487
The Judy Carrao Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiRh0JzthBE
African News Journal: http://www.anjnews.com/node/1217
ABC Newspapers: http://abcnewspapers.com/2012/08/22/former-human-trafficking-victim-spearheads-fund-raiser-for-kids-school-supplies/
ABC Newspapers: http://abcnewspapers.com/2013/05/21/anoka-county-resident-heads-fundraiser-for-human-trafficking-victims/
ABC Newspapers: http://abcnewspapers.com/2012/08/23/writers-block-woman-gives-back-to-kids-at-shelter/
ABC Newspapers: http://archives.ecmpublishers.info/2010/02/25/victim-of-human-trafficking-turns-life-around-helps-others-2/
Minnesota Coalition For Battered Women:http://www.mcbw.org/node/478
Hastings Star gazette: http://www.hastingsstargazette.com/event/article/id/21803/
Insight News: http://insightnews.com/community/4932-book-signing-event-for-bukola-oriola-author-and-journalist
The Clarion, Bethel University: http://www.bethel.edu/news/clarion/articles/2012/february/sex-trafficking
The Nation newspapers: http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/online-special/47203-%E2%80%98some-nigerians-live-like-slaves-in-the-us%E2%80%99.html
Civil Society: http://globalhealthcenter.umn.edu/documents/2010ChildTraffickingConferenceAgenda15.pdf
Plainsman Press: http://www.southplainscollege.edu/pos/pos-arts-sciences/Plainmans_Press_page10_10_15_12.pdf
Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/119034989.html
Stop Child Trafficking: http://zanonisourcesontrafficking.blogspot.com/2012/04/article-6-web.html
Breaking My Silence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqnLpatBxRM&feature=youtu.be
Hearing the Chains http://hearingthechains.blogspot.com/2009/12/rescued-minnesota-slave-her-story.html
The Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/article/beyond-the-fourth-of-july-freedom-week-minneapolis
United Methodist Church: http://www.myumw.com/rich_text_1.html
