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Comment #1
(Posted by Kayode Balewa Familoni)
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Dr. Pinkie Andrews of Pittsburgh, PA, died on Tuesday, October 9, in her home. She had resided in Pittsburgh since 1965, when she relocated with her then husband,Professor Kayode Adegbola Familoni (a Nigerian they got married on December 25, 1965) from Troy- Albany, in the state of New York.
Born on July 8, 1940 in Hatsfield, Connecticut, in the USA, she was the daughter of Jesse Maebelle Darby Pollard and Pa Andrews , a World War one veteran. She attended schools in Connecticut, New York City and the Southern states of the USA before moving to Troy, ( a surburb of Albany the capital of the state of New York State) with her late parents. Indeed, Pinkie had her two children, namely Brett Russell Andrews-Haynes and Kayode Balewa Familoni and got married in 1965, in Albany.
On moving to Pittsburgh, PA, she worked several jobs at the University of Pittsburgh, and in some communities colleges in the area , as well as voluntary work for many NGOs and social philanthropist organizations in and out of Pittsburgh. She also attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she obtained her Bachelors, Masters and ultimately, a Doctorate( Ph.d) degree in education.
Dr. Pinkie Andrews, as she was later to be known, upon her divorce from her former husband in 1971, was an activist and active community leader in Pittsburgh, New York and Environs. She was a member of the Baptist church from birth and later she joined the Presbyterian church, where she was noted for her voluntary and organizational skills and work.
Pinkie Andrews was a life long member of numerous clubs and organization and particularly, Civil Rights organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples, NAACP and the Urban League, the Republican Party and numerous other political and Civil organizations and groups. She was once the chair and Director of the African American and African studies department of the University of Pittsburgh, PA.
Pinkie was also once a Chairperson of the African American committee of the NAACP, during which she met former President Nelson Mandela and members of his family. Indeed, Pinkie also loved cooking and dress making and she was an avid sports watcher, aside from her numerous political, voluntary, social and church related activities. And she was a published prolific writer and poet, as well.
Dr. Andrews was also highly involved in the Civil Rights movement, then led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr. and the anti Apartheid struggle, with her deep involvement in the movements, including the demonstrations, matches and sit tight, pickettes, boycotts and struggles in the USA and worldwide.She was also very prominent in the United Nations Organization(UNO), where she presented several papers and attended several conferences, during the dark but last days of Apartheid in South Africa, and on the Vietnam and Korean wars and the Cold war between the USA and the former Soviet Union.
Addtionally, Ms. Andrews was highly involved in several political and party campaigns in and out of the USA. Pinkie, as she was famously known campaigned for late Senator Heinz and Senator Arlen Specter of Pennyslavania. She was also active and noticeable in the Republican party at the state and local levels and particularly among African American and minority Caucuses of the party, where she contributed greatly to their activities. She was also highly involved in the presidential campaigns of several presidential candidate of both the Republican and Democrats party, as from the early 1970s, when she became politically aware and active.
In the course of her political and social activities, she met and socialized with the likes of President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Winnie Mandela,David Dinkins, Andrew Young, President Jerry John Rawlings of Ghana, Alex Haley of the ROOTS fame, Mohammed Ali, the boxer, late Major General Joe Garba of Nigeria, Onyeka Onweanu, the Nigerian musician, Albert Sharpton and Revs.Jesse Jackson, the Civil Rights fighters, Oprah Winfrey, Chief and late Chief (Mrs) Rueben Fashoranti, the substantive Yoruba and progressive leader in Nigeria, late Dr Chuba Okadigbo, Corretta Scot King, Dexter King, Martin Luther King Junior, Senators Heinz, Senator Arlen Specter, Kunle Sijuwade of the KS motels fame and brother of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Tereza Heinz Kerry, President Bill Jefferson Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton among others personalities and indeed, in correspondence with other numerous personalities including, President George Walker Bush of the USA and the White House.
Pinkie Andrews Familoni was also widely travelled, in and out of the USA, in her political, philanthropist and social activities (and) particularly for conferences, where she participated and presented papers . Her trips include those to Canada, Brazil,Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Guatermala, the Carribean nations, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Japan, Egypt, Kenya,South Africa ( several times and till last year), Nigeria, Ghana,Liberia,Ivory Coast, Russia and Italy among other places and nations.
Ms. Andrews last activities were as a private consultant to numerous organizations and the setting up of an NGO.
She is survived by two children, namely Brett Russell Andrews-Haynes of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a writer and prospective lawyer, and Mr Kayode Balewa Familoni, a political activist and businessman in Nigeria and the USA, step children, nieces, cousins and nephews and brother, James .D. Andrews of Northampton, Massachusetts, sisters, Rochell Morand of New York City, Lottie Payton of Bascom, N.Y, Marybell of Crestview, Florida, Anne Andrews of Panama City. Her two brothers and 1 other sister, Lulu Dee Jones of Pittsfield,Massachusetts, died before her.
Pinkie will be highly missed for her good works in and out of the USA, and particularly, by her children, family members and numerous nephews, nieces and friends, colleagues and political associates etc.
May her kind soul rest in perfect peace. Her burial and funeral arrangements in the USA and in Nigeria, will be announced later.
Kayode Balewa Familoni for the children
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