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President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the academia in mourning Prof. Molara Ogundipe-Leslie.
In a condolence message issued by his Senior Special Assistant on
Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Friday, Buhari also
condoled with family members, friends and professional colleagues of the
cerebral scholar, literary theorist, and columnist.
The president noted that Ogundipe-Leslie’s exceptional brilliance and
contribution to scholarship in Nigeria, and many countries of the world
would always be remembered.
He affirmed that her expositions on gender consciousness, inclusivity
and culture would always be relevant in planning for development in the
country.
The President commended Ogundipe-Leslie for dedicating her life to
research, teaching, and writing, particularly establishing the
Foundation for International Education and Monitoring, which was focused
on encouraging young women to play active roles in society.
He prayed that the Almighty God would receive the soul of the departed, and comfort her family.
NAN reports that Ogundipe-Leslie who was a Nigerian poet, critic, editor, feminist and activist, died on June 18.
Considered one of the foremost writers on African feminism, gender
studies and literary theory, she was a social critic who came to be
recognized as a viable authority on African women among black feminists
and feminists in general.
She contributed the piece “Not Spinning on the Axis of Maleness” to
the 1984 anthology Sisterhood Is Global: The International Women’s
Movement Anthology, edited by Robin Morgan .
She taught English Studies, Writing, Comparative Literature and
Gender from the perspectives of cultural studies and development at
universities in several continents.
Nigeria committed to ending discrimination against women, girls- Amb.
Bande(Opens in a new browser tab) Ogundipe was also a Fellow of the
Ebedi International Writers Residency, Iseyin, Nigeria which she
attended in 2014.
Her last position was as a Professor of Englsh and Comparative
Lterature at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria.
(NAN)
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