In November 2023, the Akwanga Old Girls Association extended its profound respect and recognition to the legacies of Sr Edna Barrett, Sr Perpetua Hanbury, and Sr Felim Fallon through posthumous awards. These sisters embodied a lifetime of dedication, manifesting in deep commitments that touched lives far beyond their immediate communities.
Sr Edna Barrett distinguished herself as a pioneer of women’s education. As one of the early female graduates from the National University of Dublin in 1914, she blazed a trail that led her to Nigeria. There she founded and led the St. Agnes’ Teacher Training College in Yaba, shaping it into a beacon of learning and empowerment for women from 1933 to 1941. Her influence extended to Marymount College in Agbor and St. Brigid’s Girls’ Secondary School in Asaba, seeding the future with educated women poised to transform their worlds. Her commitment earned her the O.B.E. for outstanding contribution to women’s education in Nigeria, a formal acknowledgment of a life enriched by service and amplified by love for the African people.
Sr Perpetua Hanbury served with a quiet strength that belied the power of her impact. Over four decades in Ghana and Nigeria, she not only educated but transformed young minds amidst the challenges of war and disruption. As principal of Marymount College, she steered the institution to standards of excellence that became a model for others to emulate. Sr Perpetua’s dedication to moral and spiritual instruction left indelible marks on her students, shaping them into models of integrity and resilience.
Sr Felim Fallon initiated her missionary journey in 1939, dedicating her life to the education and spiritual growth of communities across Nigeria. Through her foundational work in schools in Kaduna, Minna, and Ibonwon, she cultivated environments where young minds could flourish. Her administrative acumen and spiritual guidance underscored a career marked by profound impacts on the educational landscape and the lives of her students.