President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the academia in mourning the passage of 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)