Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has mourned the passing of renowned mathematician and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, Professor Grace Alele-Williams.
Governor Obaseki, in a statement, described Prof. Alele-Williams as an Amaessor on who treaded where others dreaded and hailed her unmatched devotion to national development.
According to him, It was with a heavy heart that he received the sad news of the passing of the renowned academic and administrator, Prof. Grace Alele-Williams.
The governor noted that Professor Alele-Williams was a thoroughbred academician who throughout her life left an indelible mark of dutiful service, hard work, diligence and determination.
He said, as the first female Nigerian to earn a doctorate degree in mathematics, Professor Alele-Williams was a woman of many firsts and that she shattered the glass ceiling and didn’t look back thereafter.
He said When she became the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin UNIBEN – at the time ,the first ever female Vice Chancellor of a Nigerian university ,she shone brightly as a fearless administrator and restored sanity to the higher institution during a period of social upheaval.
He stressed that the first female Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN will be remembered for her insight, dedication to duty, courage as well as her commitment to breaking barriers limiting advancement of women in uncharted territories.
The Governor commiserated with her family, praying that God grants them all the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
