A Nigerian mum has gone viral on various social media platforms after her remarkable academic prowess was brought to public attention The woman identified as Professor Oghenetega Ighedo is said to be the first black woman to receive a PhD in Pure Mathematics at the University of South Africa Professor Ighedo, a graduate of Delta State University, Abraka is currently an associate professor at the University of South Africa
Professor Oghenetega Ighedo, a Nigerian academic has become popular on Nigerian social media space after it became known that she is the first black woman to obtain a PhD in Pure Mathematics from the University of South Africa. A graduate of the Delta State University, Abraka, Professor Oghenetega also bagged a mastres degree in Pure Mathematics from the University of Ibadan.
When she completed her PhD at the University of South Africa, she became the first black woman to do so in the 149-year-history of the school. She said in a post made by Women of Power Africa:
“I was inspired by my mother – a retired maths teacher. I saw the way she was going about teaching it and when I grew older, I thought the way she did maths was interesting and I wanted to see if I could do it like her.
“My decision to study pure mathematics was also motivated by the fact that not only are there few black pure mathematicians but there are fewer black women who are pure mathematicians.
“I encourage young women not to let adversity and challenges deter them. When I started my PhD I was already married, I had two children and was expecting my 3rd child. In spite of being a mother and a wife, I was able to complete my PhD within three years.”
LinkedIn users react
ChiChi Nwosu said: “Pls Prof, kindly consider conducting a study on how to make Mathematics more digestible to students, particularly at Secondary School level. ”
Tessy N-h Momoh reacted “Hmmmm, all these kinda people when you say good morning to them they be like: The longitude and latitude of the compass points in the direction of the Midwest knowing that the sun rises from the east and sets in the west, this is equivalent or inversely proportional to past noon time, which inadvertently means the time of the day is afternoon and the salutation should read *good afternoon*”
