E. O. Okafor, the President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), has officially confirmed the passing of Nigeria’s inaugural female Major-General, Aderonke Kale (Rtd), at the age of 84.
In a tribute released by AANI, Major-General Aderonke Kale’s illustrious legacy was lauded as groundbreaking, recognizing her significant contributions to both the medical and military realms.
The statement expressed a deep appreciation for her invaluable impact and hailed her as a trailblazer in Nigeria’s history in medicine and the military.
A trained medical doctor from the University College, later the University of Ibadan, Kale specialized in psychiatry at the University of London. Her passion for psychiatry was ignited by Thomas Adeoye Lambo, Africa’s inaugural professor of psychiatry. Born on July 31, 1939, Kale briefly practiced in Britain before returning to Nigeria in 1971.
She ascended the ranks within the army, achieving the position of colonel and eventually serving as the deputy commander of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps by 1990.
Initially, she held the crucial role of chief psychiatrist within the army, later advancing to become the Director of the Nigerian Medical Corps, where she served as its Chief Medical Officer until 1996.
Her exceptional career reached a pinnacle when she was promoted to the rank of Major-General in 1994, culminating in her retirement from the army in 1997. Aderonke Kale was married to Oladele Kale, a professor specializing in preventive and social medicine, and was a mother to five sons, including Yemi Kale, the former Statistician-General of Nigeria.