First Female Vice Chancellor, Prof Grace Alele-Williams, Dies At 89

Nigeria first female Vice Chancellor of a Nigerian University and the first Nigerian woman to receive a Doctorate degree, Prof Grace Alele Williams is dead.  

Professor Grace Alele-Williams, born December 16, 1932 and died yesterday Friday 25th March 2022. 

Alele-Williams, an educationist hit the limelight as the first female Vice Chancellor at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State.  Grace was also the first Nigerian woman to receive a doctorate degree,she was a Professor of Mathematics.  

Alele-Williams was born in Warri, Delta state, and attended Government School, Warri; Queen’s College, Lagos and the University College of Ibadan (now University of Ibadan).  She obtained a Master’s degree in Mathematics while teaching at Queen’s School, Ede in Osun State in 1957 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 degree.