Ayo Vaughan-Richards

Gladys Ayo Vaughan-Richards (née Vaughan, c. 1927 – 1993) was a Nigerian nurse, educationist, socialite and author. As a descendant of the American freedman Scipio Vaughan, she was a member of the prominent Vaughan family of Lagos.^[1][2][3]

Omoba Ayo Vaughan-Richards
Born	c. 1927 Lagos
Died	1993 Lagos
Nationality	Nigerian
Occupation(s)	Nurse, educationist, socialite, author
Spouse	Alan Vaughan-Richards ​ ​ (m. 1959)​
Children	4
Family	Vaughan family

After being educated in Lagos and Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.,^[4] Vaughan-Richards returned to Nigeria and established the Lagos State School of Nursing, one of the earliest nursing and general care teaching hospitals in the country.^[3] She also later produced cosmetic products, being a notable early Nigerian beauty influencer, before eventually becoming an author with the book Black Is Beautiful.^[3]

The wife of the influential Nigerian British architect Alan Vaughan-Richards (who took her surname following their marriage in 1959), she raised a family of four children with him on land in Ikoyi that had been gifted to them as a wedding present by the Vaughan family. Her children would ultimately include the Nigerian filmmaker Remi Vaughan-Richards.

In addition to being descended from Scipio, who was a prince of the Owu Egba,^[5] Vaughan-Richards was a member of the Akinsemoyin royal family of Lagos.^[1][6] She was also related to the women's rights activist Kofo, Lady Ademola, who was her first cousin once removed.^[2]

She died in 1993.