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I was called Iron Lady for being a successful woman – Prof Osofisan (Professor of Computer science)

Adenike Osofisan is a professor of computer science, known to be the first Nigerian woman to hold a PhD in the course. She tells ADEMOLA BABALOLA about her life, marriage to a renowned professor of drama, among other things.

As a young pupil at Fiwasaiye Girls’ Grammar School, Akure, you showed strength in science subjects as you emerged as the school’s best mathematics and physics pupil, what made you love science subjects that much, which some pupils struggle with?

For me, mathematics is the simplest and most interesting subject that does not require cramming but understanding from basic principles. I guess the love for mathematics is natural for me. General Science was first introduced to my set at Fiwasaiye in 1966. I loved the physics portion of the general science so much and decided to convert to science from arts. I spent one year at Aiyetoro Comprehensive High School to convert (to arts). I had A in Physics and Chemistry after one year of studying science.

You had your first degree in computer science in the 70s, at a time when it was not so popular in Nigeria, let alone for a woman, why did you prefer it to other courses like law and medicine that many parents would want their children to study in those days?

Our guardian and counsellor in Aiyetoro, Mr Olumide Kuti, encouraged me to read computer science. He asked me to go to the library to read about it because I had no idea what the discipline was about then. Aiyetoro, being an American school then, had a very good library. So I read a book on computer science and fell in love with it instantly. I finished my master’s degree programme at Georgia Tech (Georgia Institute of Technology) in 12 calendar months.

You later went to Georgia Institute of Technology and have studied in other foreign universities, what was your experience in the US, going from a country where computer science wasn’t popular yet to an advanced country?

I went to Georgia Tech because it was listed among the 10 best colleges for computer science education. Yes, computing education was relatively new but I studied computer science/economics at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and was among the first set of students that graduated in 1976. One of our lecturers then, Dr Odeyemi, already had a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Manchester as the first PhD holder in computer science in Nigeria.

Going abroad was not a new thing in my family. I had sisters who had gone to the US and Britain to study medicine, mathematics, biochemistry, etc. as far back as in the 50s and 60s, so my going in the late 70s was not a big deal.

When I got to Geogia Tech, they said I was deficient in two courses but I looked at the contents of the courses and found out that they had been covered by other courses in UNIFE (now OAU), so I told them I wasn’t going to take the two courses again because I knew the contents. So, they said I could do the follow-up courses and that if I passed, the two courses would be waived, but if I failed, I would have to go back and do the two courses before starting my MSc programme. But obviously I passed because I was well taught at Ife, so my computer science education in the early 70s in Ife was solid.

Usually when people travel to another clime for the first time, they experience culture shock, what was your experience in that regard going to the US for the first time?

I had no culture shock. Many of my teachers in Fiwasaiye Girls’ Grammar School in Akure were foreigners from Britain, US, India and Trinidad and Tobago. I also had a pen pal.

But I experienced it when I was at Comprehensive High School. One of our female teachers called me and I said yes, Mrs XYZ (not the real name). She then said, ‘Why don’t you call me by my name – Adeoti?’ I was confused and was wondering whether she had remarried. I was used to saying, ‘Yes, Miss Pelly; yes, Miss Davis’ from Fiwasaiye Girls’ Grammar School. That was the way we addressed our teachers.

So I quickly learnt to say, ‘Yes ma or yes mummy or yes aunty.’ Calling teachers aunty or mummy was alien to me. I suffered in the hands of that particular house mistress throughout my stay in Aiyetoro. However, later on in life, I became close to her through certain circumstances that brought us together during the ‘essential commodities’ era’ in Nigeria. Yes, culture shock can be traumatic.

You pioneered in many areas like being the first Nigerian Female Professor of Computer Science in Sub- Saharan Africa; Pioneer President, Nigeria Women in Information Technology and the first female President and Chairman of Council, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria, what experience did these come with as it must have attracted so much attention to you?

I had to learn patience and to think outside the box. I was given a lot of nicknames like ‘Iron Lady’, ‘Hard-wired electronics’, etc.

Were there any challenges that you faced at that stage of your life, like jealousy from men and so on?

Of course yes. It was not an easy thing in the past for men to accept women in authority. Even women at the time were to not as supportive as they are today. I learnt to separate motherhood from ‘workhood’, if you know what I mean. I was a completely different person in the office from who I was at home.

Interestingly, just as you are a known name in the IT industry in Nigeria, your husband, Prof Femi Osofisan, is also a renowned professional in the theatre and literature, what are your conversations at home usually like?

Our stories are very interesting. He was a science pupil who became an arts pupil because of Principal D. J. Bullock. I was an arts pupil and I became a science pupil by providence. We are both familiar with the two terrains.

Can you share the story of how a serious science-oriented student met and fell in love with a serious arts student? Was he the one who strayed into a computer lab or did you stray into a theatre?

We met in my hometown – Akure – when he was commissioned by the Akure Students’ Union to stage a play. The play was about politicians and my father, Chief J. O. Adedipe, was a politician. He was a lawmaker between 1954 and 1959 and I was curious and wanted to see how the likes of my father behaved. The play was a masterpiece. So I congratulated him at the end of the play. I was not aware that we had met earlier at the park when he arrived in Akure. He later told me that I did not answer him when he greeted me earlier. I believe his intellect attracted me to him.

While raising your four children, which area did they tilt more towards or who won between you and your husband – arts or sciences?

The first two are into social sciences while the last two read computer science. However, they all have creative abilities.

Over the years, how have the two of you been able to learn more about what the other does and loves? Do you watch plays and read literature and has he also learnt about your field?

I am his first critic. He is my editor. I have read and watched all his plays. I even attend his rehearsals.

You have won many awards and prizes and got recognitions for achievements and prizes, but what would you describe as your most memorable moment?

I am grateful to God for all. Each has had its own impact in different ways, so it is difficult to identify one as being the most memorable.

While still studying and doing researches, how easy was it to combine pregnancy and motherhood with your career?

It was very difficult but not impossible. I learnt time management and multitasking from home and from my secondary school. These came in handy.

How do you spend your time now?

I still multitask. I am involved in many activities that have to do with my home and being a wife, mother and grandmother. I work as a professor (teaching and researching), and engage in social engagements and professional and church activities. I do not have a dull moment.

What about during weekends?

Sunday is the only different day; it is the day to rest.

When do you plan to fully retire?

I have no idea. Officially I am retiring from the University of Ibadan next March. I am on accumulated leave leading to retirement. But I am not on leave in the real sense.

So how do you plan to spend your retirement?

Doing what I enjoy doing.

Looking back today, do you have any regrets?

I would have loved to do certain things differently but no regrets. At the beginning I fought all battles that came my way, but with hindsight, I’ve realised that not all battles are worth fighting because you will just dissipate energy on needless battles. Don’t ask me for an example of such battles; they are personal and may cause embarrassment to some people. This may even start another useless battle.

Now that all your children are grown, are there ways by which you and your husband still spark up your love life?

We have always lived life to the full. We will continue to do the same.

A lot of young people go into marriage today and soon get a divorce, what have been the secrets in your case that some people can learn from?

Give and take! Forgive each other because nobody is perfect.

Many things have been said about the state of education in Nigeria, as a core educationist, how do you think Nigeria can improve the education standard?

We should go back to Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s plan. With respect to Chief Awolowo, his definition of education was that ‘it is the right of every child to be educated’ and he gave children quality and free education. The education they gave me at Ife was solid, so I was able to fit into Geogia Tech. Awolowo gave scholarships across the board to students who did very well. Some scholarships for science students included book allowance. Awolowo had a blueprint for free education before it was introduced. He was well prepared for free education compared with nowadays that people (politicians) promise free education without being fully prepared for it.

Awolowo knew the numbers of pupils he was going to deal with, how much it was going to cost, and how to fund it. It was not just free education for political reasons and deceit.

Were you at any point in time a victim of sex-for-marks while you were in school?

In fairness, I didn’t come across anything like sex- for-marks but I did come across discrimination that was gender and racial-biased. Some people believe that if you are a woman or black, you cannot be really good (intelligent).

I remember a test I took; I always wrote my name on my scripts as Nike”, and you know the name is also the same spelling with Nike (a company that makes footwear and others). When the lecturer was calling out our names to return our test scripts to us, I didn’t come out when he called those who scored very low. When I later came out to collect the script, he was surprised (to see my score) and he said ‘is this you?’

There was discrimination against blacks and females but I was able to manage the situation because I was already mature at the time. That is why it is not good to send children that are not mature abroad alone.

I went to very good schools right from when I had primary education, so nobody could put undue pressure on me as I knew my academic capability. I had that confidence and I thank God, my parents and all my teachers for giving me this confidence.

Sources: https://punchng.com/i-was-called-iron-lady-for-being-a-successful-woman-prof-osofisan/
https://www.ssiinitiative.org/osofisan.html