Sheila Solarin (May 31, 1924-October 21, 2012) was, along with her husband, Tai Solarin, among Nigeria’s most important and influential educators. After falling down and injuring herself in her home in July, she had been hospitalized at the Babcock Medical Centre in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, where she died at 4:00 p.m., at the age of 88.

Solarin died just one day after 86-year-old Paul Kurtz, the founder of the Institute for Science and Human Values ISHV). In the span of one day, the humanist world lost two great individuals with a lifelong commitment to education.

Sheila, along with her late husband, Nigerian Tai Solarin, founded the Mayflower School, the first secular school in Nigeria, on January 27, 1956. It is still one of the best schools in Nigeria. The Solarins founded the school in response to the religious strife that had permeated Nigeria. “Uncle Tai,” as he was affectionately known, named the school after the ship in which the Pilgrims sailed from Southampton, England to the Americas in 1620.

I visited the school twice, meeting with Tai in 1991, and Sheila in 2001. I was highly impressed by the secular messages emphasizing the importance of self-help and hard work that were displayed on walls throughout the campus. Tai used to wear a white cap with the words “Knowledge is Light” displayed in bold yellow letters. (The saying came from one of his heroes, the great 19th Century freethinker, Robert Green Ingersoll.)

Sheila was born in Carnforth, England. She met Tai in England, and the two moved to Nigeria where they established a happy marriage for 43 years. Tai was proud to say that he had a happy well-adjusted family without the need to believe in God.

Both Tai and Sheila Solarin were humanitarians and champions of the poor and the illiterate. Tai was arrested several times in pro-democracy demonstrations. Sheila protested against the rule of Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha, and worked for civilian rule in Nigeria.

The Solarins gave their support to organized humanist groups in Nigeria. Tai supported Action for Humanism, which was headed by Emmanuel Kofi Mensah of Ghana. (Tai joked, “I don’t mind being the Pope of African Humanism.”) Tai and Sheila also supported the Nigerian Humanist Movement, founded by Leo Igwe.

In 2001, Sheila addressed the first humanist conference in sub-Saharan Africa. Members of her school’s choir helped open the activities, and impressive African dancers performed. Solarin was critical of the God-of-the-Gaps. She noted that there is no need for it. As an example, she wryly told the audience that human beings have no need to believe in fertility goddesses any more. Now we have Planned Parenthood. Similarly, there is no need to embrace a God-of-the-Gaps in any other line of inquiry.

Sheila also allowed humanists to meet and eat at the Mayflower School. Many of us visited the gravesite of Tai Solarin, who is buried on the campus. (Solarin’s family has not yet determined where Sheila will be buried.)

People throughout Nigeria are mourning her death, just as they mourned the death of her late husband. What is especially pleasing is that the Nigerian media are acknowledging that Sheila was a humanist. This is especially rare in such a deeply religious nation such as Nigeria, one of the most religious nations in the world.

Sheila was also known as “Mama” and “Madam.” She was recognized for her immense contributions to education, not only by Nigerian leaders, but in England as well. On October 17, 2007, Queen Elizabeth II made her a Member of the British Empire (MBE).

Many Nigerians have long been amazed that a White woman such as Sheila would leave the comforts of England to live in such harsh conditions in Africa. She was trusted and embraced by progressives all over Nigeria.

I have done my part to keep alive the legacy of Tai Solarin. I did an interview with him for Free Inquiry magazine in the 1990s. I wrote an entry on him in Tom Flynn’s The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief (Prometheus Books,), and I have aided freethought scholar Bill Cooke in writing about Solarin in his books, A Dictionary of Atheism, Skepticism, and Humanism and A Wealth of Insights: Human Thought Since the Enlightenment(both by Prometheus.) I have also written articles on Tai Solarin for books, and I wrote about him in my second book, The Black Humanist Experience: An Alternative to Religion (Prometheus.)

There is a hospital named after Tai Solarin in Lagos. There is the Tai Solarin College of Education, named by the Ogun State Government. It should only be a matter of time before Sheila Solarin is commemorated in similar fashion. She will not be forgotten.