•The late Prof Stella Effah-Attoe
ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Professor Stella Effah-Attoe, distinguished historian, who later veered into politics, is dead. She was aged 64.
The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where she served as National Woman Leader announced her death on Sunday, 29 October.
Effah-Attoe graduated in history from the University of Calabar in 1980 and earned a PhD from the same institution in 1985. She was employed by her Alma mater in 1986 as a Lecturer II and in 2010 she rose to become a Professor of African History and Gender Studies.
Noted for her role in mobilising women and championing their rights, Effah-Attoe joined politics on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, where she held the position of national woman leader till her death.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced Professor Effah-Attoe’s death in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
The party stated: “Our hearts bleed! Our Party and Nation have lost one of our best and brightest. Prof. Effah-Attoe’s death is a huge blow not only to her family but also to the PDP, the academic community, the people of Cross River State and indeed the Nation.
“Prof. Effah-Attoe was very brilliant, towering and magnificent in all spheres, but yet lived an exceptionally humble, pleasant, sociable, gracious, compassionate and loving life. She touched lives in many positive ways and made pivotal contributions towards the growth and development of our Nation.
“She was a dedicated teacher, politician, author and fearless mobilizer who always stood for the truth; fought for justice, equity and fairness and gave her energy, passion and resources in the pursuit of the rights of women in Nigeria.
“Over the years, as Commissioner for Education and later Commissioner for Information and Culture in Cross River State, member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, member of Governing Board of several Cross River State and Federal Government Agencies and Programmes; a University Professor and one of the most decorated scholars in Nigeria, she distinguished herself as an amazon with extraordinary intellectual capacity for leadership and national service.
“As the National Woman Leader of our great Party, she brought in an uncommon intellectual aptitude into Party administration especially in mobilizing women for greater participation in politics and governance.
“The PDP will always remember her tireless contributions alongside other PDP leaders in the effort to rebrand and strengthen our great Party in the build-up to the 2023 general elections in line with the mission to rescue, rebuild and redirect our nation from misrule.
“Prof Effah-Attoe’s death has left a huge vacuum in our Party but we take solace in the fact that she lived a devout Christian life, triumphed in her chosen path and left indelible marks in the service of the Nation and humanity.
“The PDP commiserates with her immediate family, the people of Ikun in Biase Local Governnment Area of Cross River State, the Academic Community, the Cross River State Chapter of the PDP and the people of Cross River State.
“Our Party prays to God to grant us all the fortitude to bear the loss; and to the faithful departed, an eternal rest in His bosom.”
Born in 1959, Sundiata Post recalls that the late Effah-Attoe was an indigene of Cross River State and hailed from Ikun in Biase Local Governnment Area of the Southern Senatorial District of the state. She served as Head of Department, Department of History, University of Calabar, 2002 – 2003.
On the 18th of April, 2018 she delivered the 79th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Calabar. At the University of Calabar she has served as a Teacher and a Researcher; member of a number of internal university committees, internal examiner, and external examiner at various universities, assessor of professors and associate professors. She was a member of the Historical Society of Nigeria and the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL).
In addition to her academic career, Prof. Effah-Attoe served Nigeria in various capacities. She had been;
•Member, National Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). 2013 – 2015;
•Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Voice of Nigeria (VON). 2009 – 2010;
•Member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). 2005 – 2006;
•Member of the Governing Council of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). 2000 – 2004:
•Cross River State Commissioner for Information and Culture and member of the Cross River State Executive Council. 1989 – 1990,
•Cross River State Commissioner for Education and member of the Cross River State Executive Council. 1987 – 1989;
•She was also a member of the National Population Census Monitoring Team in Nigeria, in 1991.
•Member of the National Planning Committee for the Implementation of the 9 Years Compulsory Education Programme for Nigeria, in 1989. This Committee’s Report forms a component part of the National Policy on Education in Nigeria;
•Executive Director of the Center for Gender Empowerment.
