Renowned educationist, author and co-author of English language textbooks, Mrs Phebean Ajibola Ogundipe is dead.
Ogundipe, who would have clocked 93 in May, passed on Friday, March 27 in Charlotte, North Carolina, US and was buried the same day.
“We are sad to announce that on March 27, 2020, we had to say goodbye to Phebean Ajibola Ogundipe (Charlotte, North Carolina). Burial was held on Friday, March 27, 2020, at 11:00 AM,” an obituary published on Everhere partly read.
The educationist, who taught several generations of Nigerians proper usage of English through her textbooks, co-authored the ‘Brighter Grammar’ series with M. Macaulay and C.E. Eckersley.
She also co-authored ‘New Practical English for Senior Secondary’ series with P.S. Tregidgo; and wrote a novel, ‘Up-country Girl: A personal journey and truthful portrayal of African culture’.
Born on May 16, 1927, in Esa-Oke, Osun State, Ogundipe (nee Itayemi) had her elementary education in Esa-oke and Imesi-Ile. She attended Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos on a full scholarship for her secondary school and then proceeded to University of St Andrews, Scotland to obtain her degree in English (M.A. Hons).
Upon her return to Nigeria, she became Senior Education Officer and later the Inspector of Education in the defunct Western State of Nigeria. She then became the Principal of Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo State and retired as Acting Director in the Federal Ministry of Education.
She married Adebayo Ogundipe, whom she had met while on assignment to teach English at Queen’s College, Ede in 1954.
Mrs Ogundipe, who some confuse with her namesake, the academic and literary critic, the late Professor Molara Ogundipe was given the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in 1979.
Upon retirement from public service, she co-founded a remedial educational institution, Top Tutors. In 2019, she funded the building of the N30m+ multi-purpose Itayemi Hall in Esa-oke Grammar School.
Mrs Ogundipe was the mother of four sons and ten grandchildren.