Nigeria’s first female university Vice-Chancellor, Grace Alele-Williams, is dead

Nigeria’s first female Vice-Chancellor and first female doctorate holder, Professor Grace Alele-Williams, is died at the age of 89-years-old.

It was gathered that Alele-Williams died on Friday at an undisclosed hospital in Lagos.

Alele-Williams, who was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin in 1985, was the first woman to receive a doctorate in Nigeria.

This online newspaper reports that she was a Professor of Mathematics.

Confirming the death of the respected university administrator and mathematician to The PUNCH, a former Commissioner for Higher Education, Delta State, and ex-Head of Department of English, the University of Lagos, Prof. Hope Eghagha, said Alele-Williams died on Friday.

Asked about the circumstances surrounding her death, Eghagha said, “Anything can happen at 89.”

A source told Newsflash Nigeria that the management of the University of Benin has ordered that all flags should be flown at half-mast and a condolence register would be opened at the Office of the Vice-chancellor in her honour.

Grace Alele-Williams (December 16, 1932 – March 25, 2022) was a professor of mathematics education, who made history as the first Nigerian female vice-chancellor at the University of Benin and the first Nigerian woman to receive a doctorate.

Alele-Williams was born in Warri, Delta state. She attended Government School, Warri, Queen’s College, Lagos and the University College of Ibadan (now the University of Ibadan).

She returned to her alma mater in 1957 to receive a master’s degree in mathematics and her PhD degree in mathematics education at the University of Chicago (U.S.) in 1963, thereby making her the first Nigerian woman to be awarded a doctorate.

Mrs Alele-Williams returned to Nigeria for a couple of years’ postdoctoral work at the University of Ibadan before joining the University of Lagos in 1965.

She was in 1985 appointed the vice-chancellor at UNIBEN and held the office until 1992.

She was a member of the governing council, UNESCO Institute of Education. She was also a consultant to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Institute of International Education Planning.

Alele-Williams was the first president of the African Mathematical Union Commission on Women in Mathematics.

Alele-Williams married Babatunde Abraham Williams in December 1963.

Newsflash Nigeria is an online newspaper that is developed and written exclusively for Nigerians. It’s packed with up-to-the-minute Local and National Economy News, Share & Capital Market, Health, Sports, Education, Technology, Business and Opinions.

To make further advert enquiries or place an order, please contact us at [email protected] and +2348053316946 and WhatsApp number 08033546732