Person: Alele-Williams, Grace
Grace Alele-Williams was the first Nigerian to be awarded a doctorate. She became a professor of mathematical education, then the first female Nigerian Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin.
Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):
- Grace attended Government School, Warri, and Queen's College, Lagos, graduating in 1949.
- Alele-Williams participated in these workshops from 1963 to 1975.
- In 1968 Alele-Williams was promoted to Senior Lecturer at the University of Lagos and, in 1974, Associate Professor of Mathematics.
- Alele-Williams was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin in 1985.
- It was to this scenario that Professor Grace was appointed as vice chancellor in 1985.
- But being appointed the first female vice chancellor of a Nigerian or an African university was barely the issue for Alele-Williams.
- Mama Grace Alele-Williams opened her doors to everyone, treated students with respect, listened to what they had to say, encouraged academic freedom, victimized no one on account of holding contrary views and made the University of Benin a true place of learning.
- Given her remarkable achievements, Alele-Williams received many awards and honours.
- Alele-Williams's birth place was Warri which was in Bendel State, but it is now Delta State.
- On Saturday, 25 November 2017, Alele-Williams was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Benin.
- On that day six eminent Nigerians were awarded honorary degrees, one of the six being Alele-Williams.
Born 16 December 1932, Warri, Nigeria. Died 25 March 2022, Lagos, Nigeria.
View full biography at MacTutor
Tags relevant for this person:
African, Origin Nigeria, Women
Thank you to the contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0! 
- Github:
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- non-Github:
- @J-J-O'Connor
- @E-F-Robertson
References
Adapted from other CC BY-SA 4.0 Sources:
- O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
