How well do you know these Nigerian women?
Nigeria is blessed with courageous women who have excelled in the political, social, and educational growth and development of the country; they have carved a niche for themselves in the so-called male dominated areas. They have been able to leave their footprints in the sands of time. Who are these women? We have compiled a list […]
Nigeria is blessed with courageous women who have excelled in the political, social, and educational growth and development of the country; they have carved a niche for themselves in the so-called male dominated areas.
They have been able to leave their footprints in the sands of time. Who are these women?
We have compiled a list of some of them.
Aloma Mariam Mukhtar: Aloma Mariam Mukhtar became the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 2013. On that day, she made history as the first ever female Chief Justice in Nigeria. Apart from being the first female Chief Justice, Aloma was also the first female lawyer in the North, first female justice of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, the first female justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and before she was finally, appointed as the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Hajara Bashir Umar: Due to her dad’s experience as a veteran military officer, Hajara was encouraged to join the force. This decision made her the first woman from northern Nigeria to reach the rank of Wing Commander in the Nigerian Airforce.
Jamila Malafa: Formerly a Navy Captain, Jamila Malafa was promoted to the rank of Commodore, which made her the first female of Northern extraction to become a one-star general.
Agbani Darego: A model and beauty queen, she is the first black lady to win the Miss World pageant. She is also a model. Before winning MBGN, Darego featured in print commercials and she has taken part in some international modeling deals as well as advertisements for different hair brands.
Zainab Alkali: Zainab is a female Nigerian novelist, poet, short story writer of Northern extraction. She went on to be a lecturer in English at two universities in Nigeria.
She was a dean in the Faculty of arts at Nasarawa State University in Keffi where she taught creative writing. She is regarded as the first female novelist from Northern Nigeria.
Admiral Itunu Hotonu: Admiral Hotonu is the first woman to attain the rank of Rear Admiral in the Nigerian Navy. Described as smart, intelligent and hardworking, she became the first female admiral in Africa in December 2012.
Chinyere Kalu: She is the first Nigerian female commercial pilot. She served as the rector and chief instructor of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology between October 2011 and February 2014.
Grace Alele-Williams: is an educator who made history as the first Nigerian woman to become the Vice Chancellor of a Nigerian university, the University of Benin. She was also the first Nigerian woman to receive a doctorate degree.
Chioma Ajunwa: is a former athlete who excelled in the long jump. After some having hitches, she achieved fame when she became the first athlete in her country to win an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and to date remains Nigeria’s only individual Olympic gold medalist.
She is also the first black African woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a field event.
Anike Agbaje-Willliams: She is a veteran broadcaster who started her journalism career with the then Western Nigeria Television (WNTV), the first television station in Nigeria. As Nigeria’s and Africa’s first female broadcaster, Agbaje-Willliams was the first to sign on the station, and she became a pioneer staff of WNTV; as the first female broadcaster of the station, she rose to become a producer and director of programmes at the television station before retiring in 1986.