Alakija, first female Head of Service in Oyo, dies at 88

Mrs Tejumade Alakija, the first female Head of Service in the Old Oyo
State and daughter of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, is
dead.
The death of Alakija was confirmed by her younger brother, Mr
Adelowo Aderemi, in an interview with in Ibadan on Friday.
The 88-year-old Alakija died on Friday morning at the University
College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, after a brief illness.
Alakija, born on May 17, 1925, in Ile-Ife, attended Aiyetoro Primary
and Central Schools, Ile-Ife, between 1933 and 1937 as well as
Kudeti Girls' School, Molete, Ibadan.
She obtained a B.A Honours (History) at Westfield College, University
of London, England, between 1946 and 1950.
Alakija then proceeded to Oxford University where she bagged a
post-graduate diploma in Education between 1950 and 1951.
As a graduate teacher, she joined the Nigerian civil service and was
posted to Queen's School, Ede, and later to the new Government Girls'
Secondary Grammar School between 1951 and 1953.
In 1953, Alakija founded a Girls' Secondary Grammar School at the
invitation of the Anglican Mission in Ijebu-Ode Diocese.
She later became an Assistant Secretary (Finance) at the Ministry of
Works and then Training Officer-in Charge of the region's Public
Service Training Programme between 1960 and 1962.
The deceased was the Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and
Industries in the region between 1962 and 1964 and was later appointed
secretary of some important commissions.
She served in the Committee on Development of Training in the Western
Region Civil Service and the Committee on Technical Education in
Western Nigeria.
Alakija became the Chief Investment Officer in the Ministry of Trade
and Industries in charge of Industrial Promotions between 1969 and
1972.
She served the nation as Deputy Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of
Health between 1976 and 1978 and as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of
Education, between 1978 and 1979.
Alakija also served as Head of Service in the old Oyo State and
voluntarily retired on Sept. 30, 1983. (NAN)