Nigeria mourns the passing of its first female Major General, Aderonke Kale

Nigeria is in mourning as Major General Aderonke Kale, the first female Major General in the Nigerian Army, has passed away at the age of 84.

The iconic figure breathed her last in London, United Kingdom, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.

The news of her demise was confirmed by Ambassador E. O. Okafor, the National President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), who expressed deep sorrow on behalf of the national executive committee and the entire AANI family.

In a statement issued on Thursday, November 09, Okafor conveyed his sincere condolences to the late Major General Kale's family, AANI members, and the entire nation, terming her passing an "irreparable loss."

The statement also mentioned that the burial arrangements would be announced by the family.

"AANI and indeed the nation will continue to remember the remarkable legacy of the iconic Major General Aderonke Kale (rtd) mni, who had been a trailblazer in Nigeria’s medical and military history. May her gentle soul continue to rest in peace, Amen," the statement read, as relayed by the group’s national publicity secretary, Brigadier General S. K. Usman (rtd).

What you should know about Aderonke Kale

Born on July 31, 1939, Aderonke Kale hailed from a distinguished background, with a pharmacist father and a mother who was a teacher.

She pursued her medical studies at the University of Ibadan, then specialised in psychiatry at the University of London.

Returning to Nigeria in 1971, Kale joined the Nigerian Army in 1972, embarking on a groundbreaking career.

In 1990, she made history as the first female general and achieved another milestone in 1994 when she was appointed as a Major General, becoming the first woman to attain that rank.

Her contributions to the Nigerian Army were extensive, including serving as the Director of Army Public Relations and holding the title of the first female Commander of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps.

Major General Aderonke Kale retired from the Army in 1997. She was married to Professor Oladele Kale, a distinguished professor of preventive and social medicine, and was a mother of five sons. One of her sons, Yemi Kale, rose to become the Statistician-General of Nigeria.

In recognition of her groundbreaking achievements, the female hall of residence at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) was named after Aderonke Kale in 2011, shortly after the introduction of female cadets into the NDA program.