Nigeria’s first professor of linguistics and scholar, Emeritus Professor Ayọ Bamgbose, is dead.

The 94-year-old professor of linguistics, who was credited with establishing linguistics as an academic discipline in Nigeria, passed away in the early hours of Saturday, ending an era of groundbreaking work in Yoruba language development, bilingual education and African language policy.

Born on 27 January 1932, Bamgbose was widely regarded as Nigeria’s first Professor of Linguistics and one of Africa’s most influential scholars in language studies.

He received his early education in Nigeria before proceeding to the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he obtained a doctorate in linguistics in 1963.

He subsequently joined the University of Ibadan, where he built a distinguished academic career and played a pivotal role in establishing linguistics as a recognised discipline in Nigeria.

Over more than six decades, Bamgbose made significant contributions to language policy, bilingual education, sociolinguistics, orthography development and the promotion of indigenous African languages, particularly Yoruba.

The late professor’s research and publications became authoritative reference materials in universities across Africa and beyond, while his advocacy for mother-tongue education influenced educational policies aimed at preserving indigenous languages and strengthening cultural identity.

Beyond academia, Bamgbose served in several leadership positions within national, regional and international professional bodies. He mentored generations of linguists and researchers, many of whom have continued to advance scholarship on African languages.

Throughout his career, he received numerous honours in recognition of his contributions to linguistics and African scholarship. In 2022, he was celebrated on his 90th birthday by the Yoruba World Centre and other academic institutions for his enduring impact on Yoruba language development and African intellectual discourse.

Tributes poured in shortly after news of his death, with academics, universities, cultural organisations, former students and admirers describing him as an intellectual giant, an exceptional teacher and a tireless advocate for indigenous languages.

Many noted that his lifelong conviction that African languages were indispensable to education, cultural preservation and national development reshaped scholarly discourse and public policy, leaving a legacy that will continue to influence generations of researchers and policymakers.

His death marks the end of an era in Nigerian and African linguistics, but his contributions to scholarship, language policy and the preservation of indigenous languages are expected to endure for years to come.

Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced by the family. (Saturday Tribune)

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