Nigeria’s first female Senator, Franca Afegbua, has died.
She was age 79.
The Afegbua family in Edo State made the announcement on Sunday.
One of her family members, Kasim Afegbua, a former Commissioner in Edo State, who confirmed this, said she died in the early hours of Sunday.
It statement yesterday reads: “The Afegbua family of Edo State has confirmed the demise of the first woman senator in Nigeria, Senator Franca Afegbua, whose sad event occurred this morning, Sunday, March 12, 2023. She combined beauty and brain during her service to Nigeria. Funeral details will be announced by the family soon.”
The late Afegbua became the senator representing Bendel North in October 1983 on the platform of defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic.
She was a native of Okpella, a town in Etsako East Local Government Area of old Bendel State, now split into Edo and Delta states.
Her political journey was, however, cut short as the military coup of December 1983 toppled the civilian government less than three months after she assumed office.
