The funeral of the first woman in sub-Saharan Africa to obtain a PhD in English Literature Beatrice Aboyade has kicked off in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The funeral service is being held at the Chapel of the Resurrection, University of Ibadan.
This was preceded by a lying-in-state at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan from 8.30 am to 9.30 am.
Among the attendees are former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former minister of transportation Rotimi Amaechi.
The academic and wife of the late eminent economist Professor Ojetunji Aboyade died on March 3. She was aged 87.
A wake was held in her honour at the same venue on Thursday.
Described as a pioneer in librarianship in Nigeria by the World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services, Aboyade worked at the universities of Ibadan and Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University) libraries.
Born on August 24, 1935, Aboyade had her primary education at Christ Church Primary School, Porogun, Ijebu Ode. She proceeded to Queen’s College, Lagos for her secondary education between 1948-51. From 1952 to 1953, she completed high school at Queens College, Ede. She got her first degree in English from the University of Ibadan in 1960, then obtained further degrees from the University of Michigan in 1964. In 1970, she completed her doctorate from UI.
Aboyade had a stint at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation before she joined the University of Ibadan library as an assistant librarian in 1962. Later, she took on a new role as chief cataloger at the University of Ife in 1965. She returned to the University of Ibadan three years later to lead their reader services. In 1972, she began to teach in the library science department.
In 1978, she was promoted from senior lecturer to professor of library studies. She later served as head of the library, archival and information studies department.
She also ran the Rural Development Information System (RUDIS), which increased information access to rural African people. Her work with RUDIS revealed that Nigerian rural libraries primarily served a functional requirement. The library books were used to show how to improve utilities such as roads, electricity, finance and piped water and inform the public on non-local employment opportunities, fertilisers, and trading opportunities.
