Grace Alele-Williams , (born December 16, 1932) made history as the first Nigerian woman to become the head ( vice-chancellor ) of a Nigerian university, the University of Benin.
Born in Warri , Alele-Williams attended
Government School, Warri, and Queen's
College, Lagos. She attended the University College (now the University of Ibadan ), the University of Vermont ( U.S. ). and the University of Chicago ( U.S. ).
Her teaching career started at Queen’s School, Ede Osun State , where she was mathematics master from 1954 until 1957.
She is a woman of many firsts. She made history as the first woman to receive a doctorate degree in mathematics education, thus becoming the first female professor of mathematics. She was also the first female Vice Chancellor of the University
of Benin. A staunch believer in women liberation, In 1973 she was the chairman of the curriculum review committee she is a member of the governing council of UNESCO institute of education, consultant to UNESCO and Institute of
International Education Planning as well as member of Africa mathematics programme at Newton Massachusetts USA. She has also being a vice-president of the World Organisation for
Early Childhood Education. Alele-Williams was also on the Vision 2010 committee. A consumate author on mathematics, she is a director of
Chevron Nigeria Limited.
