▁Association ▁of ▁Niger ia . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁S ow un mi ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁K ano , ▁Northern ▁Niger ia ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁Her ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁past or ▁in ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Niger ia . ▁She ▁studied ▁for ▁a ▁B Sc ▁in ▁Special ▁Bot any ▁in ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Bot any , ▁at ▁University ▁College ▁I bad an , ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁She ▁received ▁a ▁post grad uate ▁scholar ship ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁to ▁undert ake ▁Ph d ▁research ▁in ▁pal yn ology . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁undert ake ▁research ▁in ▁pal yn ology , ▁S ow un mi ▁travel led ▁to ▁Sweden ▁to ▁study ▁with ▁G unn ar ▁Er dt man , ▁who ▁super vised ▁her ▁Ph d . ▁She ▁earned ▁her ▁Ph d ▁in ▁bot any ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁I bad an ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁S ow un mi ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁post do ctor al ▁research ▁fellow ▁in ▁the ▁Arch ae ology ▁Unit ▁at ▁the ▁Institute ▁of ▁African ▁Studies , ▁University ▁of ▁I bad an . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁she ▁established ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁University ▁Pal yn ology ▁Labor atory . ▁S ow un mi ▁was ▁appointed ▁Professor ▁of ▁Pal yn ology ▁and ▁Environment al ▁Arch ae ology ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁Through out ▁her ▁career ▁S ow un