Saburi Biobaku
Encyclopedia
Saburi Oladeni Biobaku was a Nigerian scholar and historian
who was among a set of Yoruba historians who followed the pioneering effort of Samuel Johnson
in setting the foundations of Yoruba historiography
and creating reference notes of indigenous African historical literature.
He was a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos and served as a pro-chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University
.
to the family of a prominent Muslim
chief and wealthy transporter who bore the initials S.O, same as Saburi. He was educated at Ogbe Methodist Primary School, Abeokuta, the Government College, Ibadan
and Yaba Higher College. He also attended Cambridge University for his masters degree and the University of London's, Institute of Historical Research for his Ph.D. He returned to Nigeria thereafter and started his career teaching, he worked as a school master in his former school at Government College, Ibadan. He later became the secretary to the premier of the Western Region, Nigeria
. Prior to becoming the Premier's secretary, he was taught by him early on in his primary school days at Abeokuta. Biobaku also served as a registrar of the University of Ibadan.
. The book also contained information on Egbaland during the coming of the Christian missionaries in the nineteenth century. At the time, the book was the second Nigerian authored historical study published by the Oxford University Press
, after Kenneth Dike
's, Trade and Politics in the Niger Delta. He later wrote 'Sources of Yoruba History', published in 1973, and a few other books.
In the early years of Nigeria's independence
, while serving in the administration of Awolowo, he advocated an optimistic but cautious approach to Pan-Africanism
, believing that the freedom the country fought for and gained with independence should be used early on by the government and many others to nurture the individual African personalities that resides within country especially in matters affecting health, literacy and eliminating poverty. However, he supported the promotion of regional organizations for economic and social aims and the view of Pan Africanism as described by Anthony Enahoro, that it is a consummation devoutly to be wished.
In 1965, he was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos
amidst allegations of ethnic favoritism in the choice of vice chancellors across the country. He was later stabbed by a student radical who believed his appointment was unfair.
In his later years, he was involved in moves to promote Yoruba unity, especially after the demise of General Sani Abacha
, he also sought a re-appraisal of the country's political structure, favoring a four tier system of governance, made up of federal, regional, state and local administrations. He also served as the chairman of the Nigerian National Antiques Commission, Nigerian Textile Mills and the editorial board of Encyclopedia Africana.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
who was among a set of Yoruba historians who followed the pioneering effort of Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson (Nigeria)
Samuel Johnson was an Anglican priest and historian of the Yoruba. Born a recaptive 'Creole' in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Johnson was an Omoba of the Oyo clan as a descendant of the Alaafin Abiodun of Oyo...
in setting the foundations of Yoruba historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
and creating reference notes of indigenous African historical literature.
He was a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos and served as a pro-chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University
Obafemi Awolowo University
Obafemi Awolowo University is a government-owned and -operated Nigerian university. The university is in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria...
.
Education and early career
Biobaku was born in Igbore, AbeokutaAbeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
to the family of a prominent Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
chief and wealthy transporter who bore the initials S.O, same as Saburi. He was educated at Ogbe Methodist Primary School, Abeokuta, the Government College, Ibadan
Government College, Ibadan
Government College Ibadan, , is a "boys only" secondary school located on the hills of Apata Ganga in Ibadan, Nigeria.-History:...
and Yaba Higher College. He also attended Cambridge University for his masters degree and the University of London's, Institute of Historical Research for his Ph.D. He returned to Nigeria thereafter and started his career teaching, he worked as a school master in his former school at Government College, Ibadan. He later became the secretary to the premier of the Western Region, Nigeria
Western Region, Nigeria
The Western Region was a subdivision of the federation of Nigeria until 1967. Its capital was at Ibadan.It was established in the 1930s under British rule as a subdivision of the Southern Nigeria colony...
. Prior to becoming the Premier's secretary, he was taught by him early on in his primary school days at Abeokuta. Biobaku also served as a registrar of the University of Ibadan.
Later career
In 1957, he wrote a book on his ethnic group, the Egba's, the book was titled: 'The Egba's and their Neighbours', It was originally written as a dissertation but later turned into a 99 page text. He focused on the position of Egba's within historical contexts and factors that effected change in YorubalandYorùbáland
Yorubaland, or Yorùbáland , is a cultural region in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo that includes the indigenous territory and cultural reach of the Yoruba people.- History :-Settlement:Oduduwa is regarded as the legendary progenitor of the Yoruba...
. The book also contained information on Egbaland during the coming of the Christian missionaries in the nineteenth century. At the time, the book was the second Nigerian authored historical study published by the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, after Kenneth Dike
Kenneth Dike
Kenneth Dike was a Nigerian historian and the first Nigerian Vice Chancellor of the nation's premier college, the University of Ibadan. During the Nigerian civil war, he moved to Harvard University, Boston....
's, Trade and Politics in the Niger Delta. He later wrote 'Sources of Yoruba History', published in 1973, and a few other books.
In the early years of Nigeria's independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
, while serving in the administration of Awolowo, he advocated an optimistic but cautious approach to Pan-Africanism
Pan-Africanism
Pan-Africanism is a movement that seeks to unify African people or people living in Africa, into a "one African community". Differing types of Pan-Africanism seek different levels of economic, racial, social, or political unity...
, believing that the freedom the country fought for and gained with independence should be used early on by the government and many others to nurture the individual African personalities that resides within country especially in matters affecting health, literacy and eliminating poverty. However, he supported the promotion of regional organizations for economic and social aims and the view of Pan Africanism as described by Anthony Enahoro, that it is a consummation devoutly to be wished.
In 1965, he was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos
University of Lagos
The University of Lagos - popularly known as Unilag - is a federal government university with a main campus located at Akoka, Yaba and a college of medicine located at Idi-Araba, all in Lagos, Lagos State, southern Nigeria...
amidst allegations of ethnic favoritism in the choice of vice chancellors across the country. He was later stabbed by a student radical who believed his appointment was unfair.
In his later years, he was involved in moves to promote Yoruba unity, especially after the demise of General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
, he also sought a re-appraisal of the country's political structure, favoring a four tier system of governance, made up of federal, regional, state and local administrations. He also served as the chairman of the Nigerian National Antiques Commission, Nigerian Textile Mills and the editorial board of Encyclopedia Africana.
Works
- Sources of Yoruba History, Oxford University Press (November 1, 1973). ISBN 0198216696
- The Egba and their neighbours, 1842-1872. ISBN 9782490954
- The Living Culture of Nigeria. Biobaku, with Mr Peccinotti. Nelson Publishers (January 1, 1976). ISBN 9781261897
- The Origin of the Yorubas 1971. Lagos:Federal Ministry of Information.