Dr Victoria Okojie: A Distinguished Ambassador of Nigerian and African Librarianship
Scholar, mentor, professional leader and generous builder of the next generation dies at — after a brief illness
The Nigerian and African library and information science community has been thrown into mourning following the death of Dr Victoria Okojie, a distinguished scholar, librarian, mentor, professional leader and influential figure in Nigerian, African and international librarianship. Dr Okojie died on Monday, 14 September 2026, after a brief illness. Her death has created a profound void in the profession she served with commitment and distinction for many years. She will be remembered not only for her professional accomplishments, but also for her warmth, generosity, mentorship, jovial personality and extraordinary interest in the progress and welfare of others.
Dr Okojie was an active participant and stakeholder in the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AFLIA), and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). Through her professional engagements, she contributed significantly to the development and visibility of Nigerian librarianship within Africa and the international library community. Her contribution to the NLA’s engagement with IFLA was particularly noteworthy. She helped strengthen the visibility and participation of Nigerian librarianship within the global professional association, demonstrating an enduring commitment to ensuring that Nigerian professionals were represented in international conversations about libraries, information services and the future of the profession.
For colleagues who knew her closely, however, Dr Okojie’s greatest legacy extended beyond titles, positions and professional associations. She was a woman who delighted in the progress of others. She was accommodating, approachable and generous with her time. Her jovial personality made professional interactions enjoyable, while her soft-hearted disposition made her particularly supportive of younger professionals. She understood that the strength of a profession depends on the people it nurtures. Consequently, she invested considerable energy in encouraging emerging librarians and information professionals. Her support for the Young Innovative Librarian Award, which she donated, remains a significant example of her commitment to recognising and encouraging innovation among younger members of the profession.
A Personal Relationship of Sisterhood
For me, Prof. Adeyinka Tella, Dr Okojie’s passing represents a deeply personal loss. Her relationship with me went beyond professional acquaintance and developed into a bond of affection, mutual respect and genuine sisterhood. “She was my one and only respected LIS sister,”.
One of the qualities I will remember most was her ability to maintain personal relationships. Whenever she felt she had not seen or heard from him for some time, she would call. Even when she was outside Nigeria, she would remember to reach out. Those calls, though simple in themselves, reflected a central feature of Dr Okojie’s personality: she remembered people. She valued relationships and made deliberate efforts to maintain them.
One particular encounter remains especially memorable. While in Abuja on one occasion, I placed a call to Dr Okojie simply to inform her that I was in the city and to say hello. Rather than exchanging greetings over the telephone, she sent her driver to pick me up. On arriving at the University of Abuja, he discovered that Dr Okojie was teaching her third-year students. In her characteristic spontaneous and generous manner, she introduced me to the class and asked the students whether they knew Adeyinka Tella. One student responded that he had encountered a paper online bearing Tella’s name as the author.
Dr Okojie subsequently invited me to address the students. What began as a simple telephone call therefore became an unexpected academic encounter. Some of the students I addressed that day later became my friends, and I remains in contact with some of them to this day. The episode illustrates one of Dr Okojie’s most enduring qualities: her capacity to connect people and create opportunities for others. She was generous with professional space and was never reluctant to expose younger people to new ideas, personalities and possibilities.
A Woman Who Celebrated Others
Another cherished memory dates to the 2016 Nigerian Library Association Conference, held at JETAF International College in Abuja, when I received the Dr Salisu Award for the Most Published Librarian for the first time. Dr Okojie was among those who celebrated the achievement enthusiastically. Together with her close friend Prof Ruth Okiy and Dr Juliet Alex, the current NLA Vice President, she danced and celebrated the award with me. For me, the memory remains significant because it captured the essence of Dr Okojie: she was genuinely happy when others succeeded. Her response to the accomplishments of colleagues was never characterised by competition or reservation. She celebrated achievement, encouraged excellence and supported those who were making progress. For younger professionals in particular, such encouragement could make an enduring difference.
A Legacy Beyond Institutions
Dr Okojie’s influence extended across several dimensions of librarianship. As a scholar, she contributed to knowledge and professional discourse. As a mentor, she encouraged younger professionals. As a leader and active professional association member, she contributed to the advancement and visibility of librarianship. As a colleague and friend, she cultivated relationships that transcended institutional and national boundaries. Her involvement with IFLA, AFLIA and the NLA placed her within the broader history of professional librarianship in Nigeria and Africa. She understood the importance of professional associations as vehicles for advocacy, networking, knowledge exchange and international representation. Her passing therefore represents more than the loss of an individual professional. It is a loss to the broader Nigerian and African library community.
There is a compelling case for documenting her professional journey in a substantial commemorative publication. Dr Okojie deserves a book that records her contributions to Nigerian librarianship, African librarianship and IFLA, as well as her scholarship, leadership, mentorship and personal relationships. Such a publication would preserve her story as part of the collective memory of the profession and provide future generations with an account of a woman who dedicated herself to advancing librarianship and developing people. This I am going to champion in collaboration with a friend, Prof Chisita Collins, a Zimbabwean friend who is also passionate about Dr. Vicky’s personality. I invite colleagues to be on the look out for the advert/call for contribution to this book soon.
A Legacy That Will Endure
Dr Victoria Okojie’s death came too soon and has left her admirers, colleagues, friends and professional associates deeply saddened. Those who knew her will remember her warmth, laughter, generosity, encouragement and remarkable capacity to take delight in the achievements of others. Her legacy will live in the institutions and professional associations she served, in the younger librarians she encouraged, in the awards and initiatives she supported, in the students she inspired, and in the many professional and personal relationships she carefully nurtured.
She was, in every meaningful sense, a builder of people. For those who had the privilege of knowing her personally, memories of her will remain especially powerful. Her telephone calls, spontaneous invitations, laughter, encouragement and concern for the welfare of others will continue to speak long after her passing.
The Nigerian Library Association has lost a distinguished member and advocate. African librarianship has lost an important voice and contributor. IFLA has lost a committed professional stakeholder. The younger generation has lost a mentor and encourager. And her friends and colleagues have lost a beloved sister.
As the profession mourns, it must also celebrate the life she lived and the difference she made. Dr Victoria Okojie was an outstanding scholar, mentor, leader, motivator and ambassador of librarianship. Her immense contribution to professional development and the advancement of librarianship will remain unforgettable.
For me Prof. Adeyinka Tella, the words are simple but deeply personal: “Vicky Okojie, my one and only respected LIS sister, Auntie Vicky, you departed too soon. May your gentle soul rest peacefully at the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
May Dr Victoria Okojie rest in perfect peace.
Her journey has ended, but her legacy continues.
By Prof. Adeyinka TELLA
