Essence International School Founder, Dolores Lami Mohammed, Dies At 80

Mrs. Dolores Lami Mohammed, founder of Essence International School and recipient of Nigeria’s national honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), has died at the age of 80.

According to a family statement, Mrs. Mohammed passed away on February 13, 2026, in Philadelphia, United States.

Born Dolores Wilson on November 7, 1945, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from West Chester University in 1967.

She relocated to Nigeria in 1970, where she spent nearly 45 years contributing to the development of the education sector.

In 1982, she established Essence International School in Kaduna, growing the institution from a nursery programme into a full pre-kindergarten through secondary school. Over the years, the school expanded to serve more than 1,000 students and employed over 200 teachers and staff.

Family members described her as “a passionate educationist whose vision transformed private education in Kaduna State and beyond.”

Before founding Essence International School, Mrs. Mohammed served as Curriculum Supervisor at the Lebanese Community School in Lagos between 1977 and 1982, where she led curriculum development and long-term academic planning. She also worked as an educational consultant in Philadelphia, focusing on early childhood education programmes.

Beyond her role as a school administrator, she established the Open Classroom, the non-profit arm of Essence International School, through which she launched literacy initiatives, feeding programmes, teacher training and school rehabilitation projects. The initiatives supported underserved communities in Kaduna and extended to parts of Kenya, Lesotho, Niger Republic, Brazil and the United States.

In recognition of her contributions to education, she was awarded the Chevalier des Palmes Académiques by the French Government in 1995 and was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2001.

“She believed education was the most powerful tool for transforming lives and communities,” the family said, noting that she introduced modern teaching methodologies and technological innovation in classrooms at a time when such approaches were uncommon in many schools.

Mrs. Mohammed was fluent in English, French, Hausa and Spanish. Even after returning to Philadelphia in 2014, she continued to serve as Principal of Essence International School, overseeing its activities from abroad.

She was preceded in death by her husband, HRH Brig. Gen. Abubakar Garba Mohammed (Rtd.), Emir of Lere.

She is survived by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, her brother and extended family in the United States and Nigeria.

Funeral arrangements, according to the family, will be announced in due course.

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