Nigeria’s first professor of linguistics and pioneer secretary-treasurer of the West African Linguistics Society, Prof. Ayo Bamgbose, has died in Ibadan at the age of 94.
themomentng gathered that the aged Professor Emeritus born 27th January 1932 to late Rev. Sangodipe Bamgbose in Odopotu via Ijebu Ode Ogun State passed on at 6:45 am Saturday, 25th July at a Christian-based private hospital in Akobo area of Ibadan.
We gathered that Baba Prof. Emeritus, as he is called in academic communities, was taken to the hospital some four days ago after a little domestic accident and by Friday we learnt his health required an administration of Oxygen gas before he breathe his last Saturday morning.
His son, Femi Bamgbose had made terse announcement of the emeritus professor’s death on his Facebook page but Patmos Media Line spoke with some of his children including his firstborn, Prof Kayode Bamgbose, a professor of environmental management and Toxicology at the Federal University, Abeokuta, and the junior sister, Iyabo among others at the Bodija-Ibadan residence of Baba Ayo Bamgbose Saturday afternoon.
Patmos Media gathered that the Emeritus Professor left a will that he be buried at his home town of Odopotu where he was a community leader like his father.
Educated at St. Andrews College, Oyo (1948–1951), Prof Ayo Bamgbose wrote his PhD dissertation on A STUDY OF STRUCTURES AND CLASSES IN THE FRAME OF MODERN YORUBA at the University of Edinburgh in 1963; joined the University of Ibadan same 1963 and was promoted Professor at the age of 36 at Ibadan where he was given emeritus professor status in 1994. He was awarded the Nigerian National Order of Merit in 1990.
The Prof who was born to the Egungun family of Odopotu later became a Christian. His wife mama Adenike Bamgbose who taught many at Abadina Primary school in the Ibadan University including this reporter (she was my class teacher in primary 4) with Femi died in 2006. Prof Ayo Bamgbose, this reporter Rev Eniola Olatunji said was big brother to my biological mother from Odopotu who refused to accept my change of name from Abayomi Kassim to Eniola Olatunji until his death.
His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have been receiving guests who throng their family house in Ibadan to sign the condolence register.
