Maris Trust Council Pays Tribute to Late Shimite Love Bello
ASABA/Nigeria: The death of Mrs. Shimite Love Bello (née Nwakalor), Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Trade and Export, has sent shockwaves across Delta State and Nigeria’s MSME and development communities. The Maris Trust Council (MTC), in a statement issued on Monday in Asaba by its Secretary, Comrade Fidelis Egugbo, described her passing as a painful loss of both beauty and brilliance.
“It is with a heavy heart that we received the passing of Mrs. Shimite Love. She died in the early hours of Monday, April 21, 2025. Though the cause of her death is yet to be ascertained pending an autopsy, we mourn with her family, friends, and particularly the Odiega of Ebu, her community,” the MTC said.
Mrs. Love, a dynamic discussant at the 2022 edition of the Maris Annual Public Service Lecture, was widely recognised for her intellect and her relentless advocacy for grassroots economic empowerment. She was also remembered for her role at that lecture, themed “Selfless Service, A Phenomenal Virtue,” where Rt. Hon. Festus Ovie Agas delivered the keynote address.
Born to the family of the late Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Roseline Nwakalor, Shimite Love had a distinguished academic and professional journey. She attended several Air Force schools across Nigeria before earning a degree in Political Science from the University of Ibadan in 1999. She received accolades during her NYSC for her charity work, particularly with the Modupe Cole Memorial Home for people living with mental disabilities.
Her career spanned media, tourism, development finance, and government service. She began in television, presenting youth programs and later collaborating with her sister, renowned broadcaster Agatha Amata, on the Inside Out TV series. She ran a successful travel agency and contributed to major publications, including Daily Trust, Leadership, and African Travel Quarterly.
Driven by a passion for rural women and youth empowerment, she shifted focus to development finance and enterprise development. She founded the Quintessential Business Women Association (QBWA), which enjoys UN consultative status, and worked with national and international development partners such as DFID, USAID, CBN, BOI, and the NDDC.
Mrs. Love served as Executive Secretary of the Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency from 2015 to 2019 and was later appointed as the Governor’s Executive Assistant on Export Initiatives and Coordinator of the UNIDO Center. She led numerous export and enterprise-focused initiatives, including the Delta Food Export Initiative and the National Social Safety Net Programme.
On the national scene, she advised on ethics and values under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and was part of several policy-shaping committees, including NASSBER and the USAID/NEXTT LAKAJI Trade Corridor.
A versatile professional, she also hosted African Pot and African Pot Extra, television documentaries promoting African cuisine, culture, and investment opportunities. She authored African Pot Recipe Book and 100% Nigerian, reflecting her love for African heritage and entrepreneurship.
Mrs. Shimite Love Bello is survived by her husband, Mr. Richard A. U. Bello, and a legacy defined by innovation, integrity, and a lifelong commitment to empowering the underserved. Her death marks the end of a powerful chapter in Delta State’s development narrative, leaving behind a void not easily filled.
