University of Ibadan’s First Female Professor of Political Science, Dies at 65

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

The University of Ibadan’s first female Professor of Political Science, Professor Aituaje Irene Pogoson, has died at the age of 65.

Her passing was confirmed by the Department of Political Science, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan (UI), where she previously served as Head of Department.

According to Stonix News, Professor Pogoson passed away on Saturday, 25 October, following a prolonged battle with a terminal illness.

She made history as the first woman to lead the Department of Political Science since it became a full-fledged department in October 1963.

In March 2024, Professor Pogoson delivered the university’s 545th inaugural lecture, titled “The World in Transition: Understanding Power in the International System.”

Announcing her death, the current Head of Department, Professor Dhikru Adewale Yagboyaju, who succeeded her, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the distinguished academic.

“With great pain, but with total submission to the will of the Almighty, we announce the passing to glory, in the early hours of Saturday, 25 October 2025, of our colleague and former Head of Department, Professor Aituaje I. Pogoson,” Yagboyaju stated.

He described her passing as a tremendous loss to the department, the university community, and the broader academic world.

Professor Pogoson obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History (1981) from the University of Ibadan, followed by Master’s (1984) and Doctoral (1994) degrees in Political Science from the same institution.

Between 2005 and 2007, she served as a Policy Analyst on Governance with the Independent Policy Group — a UNDP/Soros Foundation-supported policy think tank established for President Olusegun Obasanjo.

She is survived by her husband, Professor Ohioma Ifounu Pogoson of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, as well as children and grandchildren.