• She died at 89
Senator Peter Onyelukachukwu Nwaoboshi has expressed sadness over the death of Nigeria’s first female Vice Chancellor (VC), Professor Grace Alele-Williams.
Nwaoboshi, who is representing Delta North Senatorial District in the Senate, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC said Alele-Williams was a high-achiever and that she would be greatly missed.
“Alele -Williams’ life imparted greatly on many including my humble self, as she was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin while I was a student there, but a year to my graduation.
“I remember her as an outstanding woman of integrity and one of those who showed my feet the way to follow,” Senator Peter Onyelukachukwu Nwaoboshi stated in a statement released by Philip Elueme, his Legislative Aide and made available to Page3news.com.ng in Abuja.
Nwaoboshi sent his condolences to Delta state whose histories Alele-Williams decorated with her trail-blazing life; as the first Nigerian woman to earn a PhD in Mathematics and the first female Vice-Chancellor of a Nigerian University.
“I regret her passing even as I thank God for the pace-setting life she lived as a high -achiever,” the statement said.
“Professor (Mrs) Grace Alele Williams was appointed the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin just a year to my successful graduation from the University. Her appointment was viewed as a real test case to demonstrate a woman’s executive capacity, and she was an achiever during her tenure (1985-1992).
“She was a woman of integrity and I regret her passing even at the ripe age” Senator Nwaoboshi said.
