GPI, Socialist Library Honour Late Prof. Bene Madunagu, Launch Endowment to Sustain Her Legacy
By Benjamin Gbor
The Girls’ Power Initiative (GPI), in collaboration with the Socialist Library and Archives (SOLA), on Tuesday held a memorial symposium in Calabar to mark the first anniversary of the passing of renowned scholar, feminist and social justice advocate, Professor Bene Madunagu.
The event brought together activists, scholars, family members and allies who paid tributes to the late academic while calling for sustained support for the institutions and causes she championed.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Josephine Effah described Prof. Madunagu as a consummate feminist, intellectual and nation builder whose voice, laughter and activism shaped generations of women and girls.
She recalled encountering Madunagu’s work in 1992 while conducting postgraduate research in the Netherlands, relying heavily on the scholarship of Madunagu and her colleagues at a time when Nigeria was experiencing political turmoil.
“She lived and died fighting for the rights and freedoms of women and girls. What better proof than that she passed during the 16 Days of Activism? Sister Bene was intentional, deliberate and truthful. Her passion was infectious,” she said.
She also recounted Madunagu’s support in the late 1990s when she sought to establish a shelter for abused women, noting that the late professor’s mentorship and confidence played a defining role in the success of the project.
Describing Madunagu as a great mentor, brilliant intellectual and social justice crusader, she urged participants to uphold the values the late professor embodied.
“Legacy is not what you leave for people, but what you leave in people. She has passed the torch to us. We must continue the race,” she added.
Also speaking, Udoma Madunagu stressed the need to keep alive Prof. Madunagu’s vision through active support for GPI and the vocational centres established to empower young girls in Cross River State. She emphasised that the late professor’s investment in institution building, leadership mentoring and protection of vulnerable girls must not be allowed to fade.
“This day is not just about memory. It is a call to action. There are many girls who still need skills, protection and empowerment. GPI is struggling. Funding is scarce, but the cases of sexual and domestic abuse keep rising. We cannot do it alone,” she said.
She called for partnerships, sponsorships and volunteer support, especially for the vocational centre established by Prof. Madunagu.
“If you can sponsor one girl, volunteer your skills or connect us to funding opportunities, please step forward. Let us honour her by standing where she stood and fighting where she fought,” she added.
Speaking on behalf of the Socialist Library and Archives, Comrade Ikenna Edwin Madunagu described the symposium as a rededication to the revolutionary ideals the late professor embodied. He said the transfer of the Madunagus’ expansive archive to SOLA in 2021 was not a donation but an endowment of a future for the Nigerian Left.
“Bene was an absolutely confirmed feminist with no ifs or buts. She stood for gender justice, workers’ rights, academic freedom and the socialist transformation of society,” he said.
He noted that Prof. Madunagu’s work as co founder of Women in Nigeria (WIN), a leader in DAWN and a driving force behind GPI remains foundational to feminist and socialist movements in the country.
He announced the launch of an Endowment Fund to sustain her ideologies and support both GPI and SOLA.
“This fund is not for monuments but for movements. The Mother of the Nigerian Left has passed the torch. It is our duty to ensure the flame never dies,” he declared.
