A Nigerian professor, Kokunre Agbontaen-Eghafona, has been appointed a member of the prestigious Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences by Pope Francis.
Agbontaen-Eghafona was appointed as an ordinary member on July 10 to the Vatican-based academy along with Professor Pedro Morandé Court from Chile and Professor Mario Draghi from Italy.
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by Pope John Paul II on 1 January 1994 to promote the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law, and political science.
Speaking to the Association for Catholic Information in Africa (ACI Africa), Agbontaen-Eghafona said her appointment to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was a “miracle of God.”
“It came as a big surprise to be admitted into the prestigious academy. To me, this elevation is a miracle of God; I cannot explain it otherwise,” Agbontaen-Eghafona said.
ALSO READ: Meet Raffaella Petrini, The First Woman To Head The Vatican City Governorate
Born in London on 1 October 1959, Agbontaen-Eghafona studied at the University of Benin in Benin City, Nigeria, graduating with an undergraduate degree and later a master of Arts in history. She is also a Master of Science in archaeology and anthropology degree holder from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Before her appointment to the Academy, Agbontaen-Eghafona had been a lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Benin since 1992, a senior lecturer in 1996, an associate professor in 2003, and a full professor in 2008. She has also held several administrative positions, including Head of the Department of Sociology (2009-2013) and Director of part-time programs (2016).
She was also responsible for sustainable development within the UN’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network between 2012 and 2017.