The esteemed Nigerian poet, writer and advocate for children’s literature, Mabel Segun, has died at age 95.
In a statement, her family expressed gratitude for a life dedicated to excellence, describing her as a versatile media personality who made significant contributions to literature, broadcasting, and sports. They also noted that funeral arrangements would be announced in due course.
“It is with gratitude to God for a life well spent in the pursuit of excellence in Literature, Broadcasting and Sports that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Mabel Dorothy Okanima Segun (nee Aig-Imoukhuede) in the early hours of the 6th of March 2025,” the statement reads.
Born in Ondo City on February 13, 1930, Segun completed her secondary education at CMS Girls’ School in Lagos before earning a degree in English, Latin, and History from the University of Ibadan in 1953. She later taught these subjects in Nigerian schools and served as the head of the English and Social Studies department, as well as vice-principal at the National Technical Teachers’ College in Yaba.
Segun’s literary career spanned multiple genres including children’s literature, adult fiction and poetry. Her debut book, My Father’s Daughter, published in 1965, became a widely used literature text in schools worldwide. Her works have been translated into several languages, including German, Danish, Norwegian and Greek.
A champion of children’s literature, she founded the Children’s Literature Association of Nigeria in 1978 and later established the Children’s Documentation and Research Centre in Ibadan in 1990. She was also a fellow of the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany.
Segun played a pivotal role in Nigerian literature, co-founding the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) alongside Chinua Achebe in 1981. As a broadcaster, she received the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation’s Artiste of the Year award in 1977. Her contributions to literature were recognised with numerous honours including the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award (NNOM) in 2009 and the LNG Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2007.
Beyond her literary and broadcasting achievements, Segun was an accomplished athlete. She was Nigeria’s first female table tennis champion, winning a gold medal in the doubles category in 1954. She remained active in competitive table tennis until the age of 58 and also won a bronze medal in badminton at the Nigerian Regional Championship.
Segun is survived by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
