[1] Olakunri played a foundation role in the establishment of the Society of Woman Accountants of Nigeria.
[2][3] Olakunri graduated from the University of Birmingham, and did her article-ship with the City of London and Dorset & Co before qualifying as an accountant in 1963.
She then moved back to Nigeria and joined the office of Peat Marwick Cassleton Elliot and Co.[1] In 1965, Olakunri joined the workforce of Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB) now Bank of Industry a year after it was created.
However, in 1972, she was able to purchase a plastic making factory in Apapa founded by an Italian expatriate.
[4] In 1977, Olakunri was nominated as a member of the 1977 Constituent Assembly, a gathering of Nigerians to deliberate on a new democratic constitution.