Professor Bimpe Aboyade, the first woman in sub-Saharan Africa to gain a PhD in English Literature, clocked 83 on Thursday, 24 August.

Aboyade is a Nigerian librarian and retired professor of Library studies at University of Ibadan. Described as a pioneer in Librarianship in Nigeria by the World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services, Aboyade has worked in University of Ibadan and University of Ile-Ife libraries.

Born on August 24, 1935, Aboyade had her primary education at Christ Church Primary School, Porogun, Ijebu Ode. She proceeded to Queen’s College, Lagos, for her secondary education between 1948-51. Between 1952-53, she completed her high school at Queens College, Ede. She got her first degree in English from University of Ibadan in 1960, then obtained further degrees from University of Michigan in 1964. In 1970, she completed her doctorate from Unibadan.

Aboyade has worked in different capacities as a university Librarian in Obafemi Awolowo University and University of Ibadan. In 1978, she was made a professor of library studies at Unibadan, and has served as head of department of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the university. She also ran the Rural Development Information System (RUDIS), which increased information access to rural people in Africa.

She was married to Professor Ojetunji Aboyade, eminent Economist, an erudite and distinguished scholar of international repute and a gifted administrator, until his death in 1994. Their union is blessed with four children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her daughter, Olufunke Aboyade, is a prominent lawyer, journalist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN.

Notable among some of her contemporaries and close friends are Chief (Mrs) Folake Solanke, SAN and Professor Bolanle Awe.