Additional information
by Dr Stella Williams (Author), Olabukunola Williams (Author), Joshua Jogo (Author)
The Grace of Dr. (Mrs.) Mojisola Olayinka Edema n e Fatungase: A Visionary and a Reformer is a splendid "aso-oke" compilation of stories and articles of this noble and graceful lady. It is a "talking drum" of coded colorful messages honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of this humble, straightforward and great Nigerian woman, wife and mother. She may be gone from this world, but her spirit lives on through the numerous lives she touched in positive ways. The late Dr. (Mrs.) Mojisola Olayinka Edema was a virtuous woman with a strong faith in God. She advocated strongly for the empanicipation and empowerment of women and girls. She was an educator who believed in the power of knowledge. She was loved by her students. She was a community builder and a nation builder. She was a woman who always carried a smiling face no matter what challenges, problems or difficult issues she was facing. Despite the lack of longevity of her life, it was a life well lived. It is a life worthy of emulation. It is a life that definitely takes a front row seat among the great leaders and scientific geniuses of the 21st century. The late Dr. (Mrs.) Mojisola Olayinka Edema was a pioneer of the Nigerian Women in Agricultural Research for Development (NiWARD). She was the former Acting Director of the Centre for Gender Issues in Science and Technology (CEGIST), The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) and Food Microbiology Faculty Member at this institution. Her area of emphasis as a food microbiologist was on Nigerian traditional foods. Too often, successful and influential African women leaders and geniuses do not get the recognition they deserve. Their stories are usually invisible to people outside their realm of direct impact. So, they hardly make it into the global history records in their fields of success and influence. This severely limits the effect of their biographies in nurturing, grooming and guiding young girls and others for leadership roles and success in their professional and other life endeavors. This publication brings recognition to the late Dr. (Mrs.) Mojisola Olayinka Edema, by honoring and celebrating her life and her legacy. Although it does not completely reflect all facets of this great lady, it provides a glimpse into the "aso-oke" fabric of her inner being, character, professional work, mentoring roles, volunteer service, community building and nation building endeavors. We know it will serve as a path or a shining star to follow for young women and girls who aspire to be leaders and nation builders, and for all others who would like to walk the walk in similar aspects of her journey through life.
Author Biography
Reverend (Dr.) Nkechi (God's Own) Madonna Adeleine Agwu, aka, Nma (Beautiful) Jacob is an ethno-mathematician and an African female leader in mathematics and statistics education with numerous honors and awards for her professional and scholarly work. She is a tenured Professor of Mathematics and Past Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching Learning and Scholarship at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York. She is a 2014 Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow for an ethno-mathematics teaching-research co-curriculum development project titled, Culture and Women's Stories: A Framework for Capacity Building in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Related Fields. She is the mathematical story-teller of the Nigerian Women in Agricultural Research for Development (NiWARD) - the embodiment of a NiWARD Talking Drum, Shekere and Akwete Cloth. Her captivating NiWARD mathematical, cultural and spiritual story "God's Own: The Genesis of Mathematical Story-Telling", ISBN 978 1522854, available through http: //www.Amazon.com, was published in December 2015 by the same publisher of this memorial book. She is a 10th generation farmer from Umuapu, Agbakoli, Alayi, planting mathematical, cultural and spiritual seeds in humans. She writes poetry as a hobby and is an artist with a passion for Ndebele doll sculpturing of African women leaders in STEM related fields. According to His promise in Daniel 11:32, she shall perform exploits. Dr. Stella Williams, is a retired Professor of Agricultural Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly, University of Ife), Ile-Ife, Osun State and Founder of Nigerian Women in Agricultural Research for Development, NiWARD. She has served on various international Board like: Former Member of Steering Committee (SC) of the African Women in Agricultural Research in Development (2008/2012); Former Board Member of Trustees of the WorldFish Center, Penang, Malaysia (2004/2009), Vice Chair, Board of Trustees - 2009/2014. She also served as Vice Chair, Board of Trustees of the Center for International Potato (CIP), CGIAR, Lima, Peru. She is presently the Vice President, Mundus maris, asbl (Art, Science and Sustainability of the Sea), Brussels, Belgium. Served for the last three decades on several International, Regional and National Boards as well as on various Expert Groups. Fellow of Fisheries Society of Nigeria and African Association of Agricultural Economics.
