Renowned Nigerian writer, Mabel Dorothy Okanima Segun, popularly known as Mabel Segun, is dead.
The renowned writer died in the early hours of Thursday, barely a month after turning 95.
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An accomplished poet, playwright and writer of short stories and children’s books, she was also a teacher, broadcaster, and sportsperson.
A statement by her family announcing her passage partly reads, “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. She was 95 years old.
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“Funeral arrangements will be published in due course.”
She is survived by Omowunmi Segun (daughter), Rolari Segun (granddaughter)
Damilola Segun (grandson), Ayomide Segun (grandson), Fikemi Femi-Segun (granddaughter) and great-grandchildren.
Illustrious career
She was known for her significant contributions to literature and her impact on the literary landscape in the country.
Her works often highlighted themes of culture, identity, and the experiences of Nigerians, making her a beloved figure in the literary community.
Her passing marks a notable loss for readers and writers alike.
Her first book, My Father’s Daughter, published in 1965, has been widely used as a literature text in schools all over the world, and her books have been translated into German, Danish, Norwegian and Greek.
Her work is included in the anthology Daughters of Africa (1992).
Segun championed children’s literature in Nigeria through the Children’s Literature Association of Nigeria, which she founded in 1978, and the Children’s Documentation and Research Centre, which she set up in 1990 in Ibadan.
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She was also a fellow of the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany.
She was a founding member of the Association of Nigerian Authors, established by Chinua Achebe in 1981.
