Nigerian Mum Breaks 149-Year-Old Record, Becomes First Black Woman to Bag PhD in Pure Mathematics at At South African Varsity

A Nigerian Mum, Professor Oghenetega Ighedo has gone viral for breaking a 149-year-record in a South African University bagging her Doctorate Degree.

Professor Ighedo, become an internet sensation after it became known that she is the first black woman to obtain a PhD in Pure Mathematics from the University of South Africa.

Prof Ighedo started her Varsity journey at Delta State University, Abraka, where she graduated with B.Sc in Industrial Mathematics

She then furthered her education at the University of Ibadan and bagged Masters Degree in Pure Mathematics.

Leaving her lecturing job at Abraka Varsity in 2011, Ighedo traveled to the University of South Africa (UNISA), to start her Ph.D programme, where she also doubled as a lecturer.

Completing her PhD at UNISA earned her recognition as the first black woman to do so in the 149-year-history of the school, allAfrica reports.

The renowned scholar attributes her success to her mother who was also once a Mathematics teacher. Ighedo said she was inspired by her mother who has since retired.

In Prof Ighedo words: “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.”

ALLSCHOOL TEAM