IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 19, Issue 2, Ver. II (Feb. 2014), PP 82-94 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org www.iosrjournals.org 82 | Page Wuraola Esan as Educationist Ezekiel Oladele Adeoti Lagos State University, Ojo, Nigeria. Abstract: This paper is a biographical study of a Nigerian woman educationist, Wuraola Esan with special focus on her contribution to the promotion of female education. It locates the neglect of female education on socio-religious and cultural beliefs, and therefore conceives in general terms the activities of Mrs. Wuraola Esan (centred in Ibadan), and in particular, her efforts towards the social emancipation of the female gender. Based on original and primary sources, the paper highlights the role of private endeavour/initiatives, as exemplified by the subject of study, in Nigeria’s educational development. Keywords:Wuraola Esan, Nigerian Education, Female Education, Female Gender, Educational Development. I. Introduction No doubt, the gender question that perceives women as integral in contemporary discourse on development and democratization world-wide is now an established fact. For too long women have been perceived in various societies, particularly in the developing world, as secondary citizens and objects of developmental and governance processes. Women are also often credited for producing up to 70 percent of the food requirements in the developing countries of Africa, and are responsible for looking after the home and society; yet, they are not fully recognized as partners in the development processes in their various communities. Societal stereotypes about women in the developing nations have not helped matters. Even governments that are supposed to protect the interest of women have consistently tried to and even succeeded in marginalizing women who constitute more than half of the entire humanity. For along time, African women were not encouraged to play any meaningful and effective role in societal affairs like political, religion and governance: Women were made to believe that their rightful place was in the homefront as housewives, producers and minders of children. They were expected to stay at home and inculcate in their children the virtues of life while their husband‟s carried on with important societal tasks such as politics and governance. However, there have been changes overtime. These started with women themselves who stoutly challenged their subordinate status in society. A major breakthrough came in the 1970‟s with the declaration of 1975 – 1986 as the Decade of women by the United Nations. Since then, many important conferences have been held in different parts of the world to advance the cause of women socio-economic and political empowerment. The most important of these being the Beijing Conference of 1995 whose platform of action has provided the basis for national action in many countries of the world. With that the woman question has been put on the sharp edge of global developmental politics. Prior to this development, Nigeria had produced a number of women under various guises who had succeeded in championing the interest of women in politics, and education. Wuraola Esan was one of such women. Here was a personage who championed the empowerment of women as far back as the colonial period in Nigeria with its inherited patriarchal institutions. This study is an assessment of the contribution of Mrs. Wuraola Esan, one of Nigeria‟s foremost female nationalists and educationists, to the development of education of the girl-child in Ibadan, Africa” largest indigenous city, south of the Sahara. Family Background and Early Education Wuraola Adepeju was born sometime in March, 1909 to the famous Christian Ojo-badan family of Ibadan. Her father, Thomas Ojo-Ade, was a veteran soldier of the First World War and the Ekarun (Fifth in line of succession to the (Olubadan) of Ibadan. Even though, Thomas Ade-Ojo professed to the religion of Christianity, he was an unrepentant polygamist with eight wives. Wuraola‟s father was a farmer until he enlisted as a soldier in the colonial army, the Royal West African Frontier Force (WAFF). He participated in the Asante Campaign and during the First World War, fought in the Cameroons. For over twenty five years, Chief Ade-Ojo served in the WAFF attaining the rank of Regimental Sergeant. He got several military awards for his gallantry and service in the British colonial army. After his retirement from the Army, Chief Ade-Ojo was appointed Chief Manager of the Ibadan Forest Reserve in 1930. He was a staunch member of the Baptist Church at Idikan, Ibadan for most of his adult life. He was also among those who founded the Salem Baptist Church now based at Yemetu Alaadorin, Ibadan in 1953. Chief Ade-Ojo played an active role in Ibadan politics. And in recognition of his patriotism, he was