Nigeria’s first female Senator is dead

Nigeria’s first female Senator is dead

The first female senator in Nigeria, Franca Afegbua is dead.

The Afegbua family announced her passing in a statement issued on Sunday.

Afegbua, 79, was a native of Okpella, a town in Etsako-East LGA of old Bendel State (now split into Edo and Delta states).

The family said, “The Afegbua family of Edo state has confirmed the demise of the first woman senator in Nigeria, Senator Franca Afegbua, whose sad event occurred this morning, Sunday, March 12, 2023. She combined beauty and brain during her service to Nigeria. Funeral details will be announced by the family soon.

The late senior female lawmaker, in a reflection of her rare feat, was quoted to have said, “I think there has been some improvement since my time. There was no woman in the senate before me then but there are women now. Then, I was the only woman but now, there is more than one. I believe the number will increase gradually.

“I remember the day I was sworn in. I felt fulfilled but that did not stop me from continuing to engage with the women and youths in my community. Agitation for affirmative action to enable more women get into the legislature to address the low representation of women is good for women. I am happy we started something, and it is good others have built on our effort.

“My advice is that they should be determined and not lose focus. If they remain serious about their ambition to help their people, they should go ahead and run, and they can be successful.”