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Folake Onayemi Quotes

1964–2024 Nigeria

Folake Oritsegbubemi Onayemi (4 October 1964 – 14 February 2024) was Professor of Classics and Head of the Department of Classics at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. She was the first woman to be awarded a PhD in Classics in Nigeria and the first black woman to be Professor of Classics in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Random Folake Onayemi quote

7 quotes

While studying the course, I realised that some of the things I had come across as a child were actually classical literature.

The Yoruba culture has many similarities with the ancient Greek culture; for example, the idea of paying back care to one’s parents when they are old.

That was what stirred my interest in literature. I got into UI through direct entry in 1983 and by the time I graduated in 1986, I did not want to study Law anymore.

My husband passed on three years ago. He was older than me, and he wanted me to succeed at all cost. He believed I was very brilliant, and that I could do anything intellectual.

My father was very vast. He taught both English and Mathematics. However, my mum took some time off teaching to nurture us (children).

I realised that African culture was more similar to the classical cultures, than even the western ones. Many classical creative works can fit in the context of many African cultures because of their similar sociological and mythological backgrounds.

If I have to teach 400 level students Latin for a class of one hour, I might need to prepare for two or three hours before hand because my competence in Latin is not so high. I do not use the language every day, so I forget sometimes.

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Folake Onayemi (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.