Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie

Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie is a wife, mother, entrepreneur, and passionate advocate based in Lagos, Nigeria. Her journey into special needs advocacy began when her daughter Simone was diagnosed late with Down syndrome, leading to life-threatening heart complications in infancy.

Building on her career as a TV and film producer in Nigeria, Tonye tackled the lack of representation for Black and African children, especially those with special needs, by creating Ugo and Sim Sim, the world’s first picture book series featuring a Black main character with Down syndrome. She also authored Nigeria’s first baby board book, Ugo and Sim Sim: Fruits and Vegetables. She later founded the Simone’s Oasis Foundation, which merges creativity with advocacy to challenge stereotypes and celebrate neurodiversity.

She was selected for the American Express Leadership Academy and named by The Guardian UK as one of the “Ten Most Inspiring People” of 2024. In July 2025, she received an award from American Express for her impact as an NGO leader.

In celebration of October 2025’s World Down syndrome awareness month, Tonye has released two new titles in her Ugo and Sim Sim series with Ouida Books, Nigeria: I Don’t Like the Birthday Song and Sim Sim Goes to the Salon.