Mourning Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo: Celebrated UI Vice-Chancellor Passes Away at 90

Mourning a Giant of Nigerian Education: Remembering Professor Ayo Banjo

Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, an eminent educator and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), has passed away at the venerable age of 90. The news of his departure on Friday, May 24, came as a profound loss, occurring just 22 days following his lively 90th birthday celebrations. It marks the end of a significant era for many in the academic sphere, particularly those familiar with his monumental contributions to educational development in Nigeria.

Born into the family of the late Reverend Samuel Ayodele Banjo, an esteemed educationist and teacher, Ayo Banjo's journey began in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, where his remarkable life’s work would commence. His early education was foundational, with academic beginnings at St. Andrew Anglican Primary School and Christ Cathedral Primary School in Lagos. His exceptional intellect blossomed further at Igbobi College, Lagos, setting the stage for a series of academic triumphs.

Academic Excellence and Global Pursuits

His sterling academic trajectory was punctuated by a British Council Scholarship, allowing him to pursue a Master of Arts in English Language at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. His intellectual curiosity and dedication saw him further his studies with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education and English Studies at the University of Leeds. This thirst for knowledge didn't stop there, as he was also awarded an American State Department scholarship to advance his understanding of linguistics with a Master’s degree at the University of California, Los Angeles. His academic journey culminated with a Ph.D. in English Language from the University of Ibadan, solidifying his status as a scholar of international repute.

Throughout his academic career, Prof. Banjo's contributions to the development of the English curriculum in Nigeria were unparalleled. His seminal works and textbooks are still foundational in primary and secondary education across the country. His advocacy for recognizing and promoting Nigerian varieties of English was ground-breaking, ensuring that the uniqueness of Nigerian English had a place in both national and international discourse.

Leadership and Legacy at the University of Ibadan

Banjo’s tenure at the University of Ibadan was marked by an unwavering commitment to academic excellence and administrative innovation. Starting as a Deputy Vice-Chancellor, his leadership qualities soon propelled him to serve as the Acting Vice-Chancellor before his appointment as the Vice-Chancellor. His seven-year tenure as the Vice-Chancellor is notable for being the longest in the university's history, a period characterized by strategic advancements and a bolstering of the university's academic reputation.

His leadership extended beyond the University of Ibadan, serving in significant advisory capacities such as the Chairman of the National Universities Commission and Pro-Chancellor at the Universities of Port Harcourt, Ilorin, and Ajayi Crowther. Through these roles, his influence and visionary leadership reshaped higher education in Nigeria, leaving an indelible legacy of excellence and rigour.

A Life of Teaching and Scholarship

Even after concluding his epoch-making term as Vice-Chancellor in 1991, Banjo's passion for teaching never waned. He returned to lecturing, imparting his vast knowledge and wisdom to students until his retirement from the University of Ibadan in 1994 at the age of 60. His dedication to nurturing young minds and fostering academic curiosity continued well beyond formal retirement, emphasizing his lifelong commitment to education.

Over the years, Prof. Banjo authored more than 50 scholarly publications, many of which continue to serve as invaluable resources in the field of English Studies. His textbooks are widely used, bridging the gap between theoretical linguistics and practical application, and remain staples in classrooms across Nigeria.

A Luminous Legacy

As the academic community comes to terms with the loss of this towering figure, the legacy of Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo endures. His extensive contributions to the development of educational standards, particularly in English language studies, laid a firm foundation that continues to shape future generations. His advocacy for the recognition of Nigerian English opened pathways for more inclusive and representative language education practices.

In celebrating his life, it becomes clear that Banjo’s influence transcended academia—he was a beacon of intellectual and ethical leadership. His life’s work was driven by a profound belief in the power of education to transform society. As friends, family, and colleagues gather to mourn his passing, they also reflect on a life that was extraordinarily lived, marked by a commitment to advancing knowledge and fostering academic excellence.

Professor Ayo Banjo’s passing undoubtedly marks the end of a luminous chapter in Nigeria’s educational history. However, the seeds he planted and the foundations he built will continue to nourish and support the growth of education in Nigeria for many years to come, ensuring that his legacy remains an enduring testament to his life's work.

17 Comments

Mark Dodak
May 27, 2024 AT 19:13

This is one of those rare obituaries that actually captures the weight of a life lived with purpose. Professor Banjo didn't just teach English-he redefined how an entire nation saw its own voice in it. His textbooks weren't just resources; they were acts of cultural reclamation. The fact that Nigerian English gained legitimacy through his work is a quiet revolution. I remember using his grammar guides in high school and thinking, 'This actually makes sense.' He gave us a language that wasn't borrowed-it was ours.
Shraddha Dalal
May 28, 2024 AT 12:03

As someone who studied linguistics in Delhi, I can say with certainty that Banjo’s work on Nigerian Pidgin and its structural legitimacy was decades ahead of its time. Most Western linguists still treat African Englishes as 'corruptions.' He treated them as systems. His Ph.D. thesis at UI was essentially a manifesto for linguistic decolonization. We need more scholars like him-not just in Nigeria, but across the Global South.
Elizabeth Alfonso Prieto
May 29, 2024 AT 19:11

i cant believe people are just acting like he was some saint. he was a bureaucrat who spent more time in meetings than in classrooms. also why is everyone ignoring that he was part of the system that kept scholarships for the elite? #notallheroes
Kieran Scott
May 31, 2024 AT 10:16

Let’s be honest-his legacy is overstated. He wrote textbooks that were derivative of British pedagogical models. The so-called 'Nigerian English' advocacy was just a political maneuver to gain funding. His tenure as VC? A period of administrative stagnation masked by glossy brochures. The real innovators were the junior lecturers who taught under him, not the man who sat in the ivory tower.
Joshua Gucilatar
June 1, 2024 AT 14:36

Banjo didn't just write textbooks-he weaponized syntax. Every comma he placed was a quiet rebellion against the colonial syntax that insisted Nigerian students must think in London. His grammar books didn't just teach tense-they taught identity. You could tell which generation of Nigerian students came from his syllabus: they spoke with confidence, not apology. That’s not legacy. That’s liberation.
Harry Adams
June 2, 2024 AT 02:25

His scholarship was impressive, no doubt-but the institutional inertia he perpetuated at UI was staggering. He built a system that rewarded conformity over critical thought. The 'longest-serving VC' title is less a badge of honor and more a symptom of a rotting hierarchy. We memorialize administrators, not thinkers. That’s the tragedy.
Drasti Patel
June 3, 2024 AT 12:13

It is an egregious oversight that Western academia continues to overlook African scholars of his caliber. His contributions to linguistic theory were not merely regional-they were universal. The fact that his works are not cited in Oxford or Yale curricula is not an accident. It is epistemic violence. We must demand institutional recognition, not just sentimental eulogies.
Steven Rodriguez
June 4, 2024 AT 07:56

They talk about his textbooks like they were holy scripture, but let’s not pretend he didn’t benefit from the same colonial networks he claims to have dismantled. British Council? State Department? He was a product of the system he pretended to critique. Real change comes from the ground up, not from a VC’s office with a British passport.
Ronda Onstad
June 4, 2024 AT 20:05

I was a student in his final year of teaching. He’d come to class with a thermos of tea, no notes, and just talk-about Yeats, about Yoruba proverbs, about how silence in speech could be more powerful than any punctuation. He didn’t teach grammar. He taught listening. I still hear his voice when I write. That’s the kind of teaching that doesn’t show up in publications.
musa dogan
June 5, 2024 AT 05:17

Ayo Banjo? Please. He was just another academic who got a fancy title and forgot the students. I remember when he banned student protests in '92 and called them 'un-African.' That’s not leadership-that’s cowardice wrapped in a tweed jacket.
Brian Gallagher
June 5, 2024 AT 13:06

His contributions to the structural pragmatics of Nigerian English represent a paradigm shift in sociolinguistic epistemology. By codifying vernacular syntactic patterns into formal pedagogical frameworks, he effectively decentered anglophone hegemony without resorting to essentialist nativism. His work constitutes a critical intervention in the postcolonial linguistics canon.
Jess Bryan
June 5, 2024 AT 23:34

They say he was a visionary. But what if the scholarships he pushed were just a way to funnel Nigerian talent out of the country? What if his 'Nigerian English' movement was really about making the language palatable to foreign donors? Who benefits when a nation’s education system becomes a performance for Western approval?
Derek Pholms
June 6, 2024 AT 12:24

He was a giant. But let’s not forget: he also had enemies. People who resented his authority. People who called him a 'colonial puppet' behind his back. The truth is always messier than the obituaries. He fought for his vision-and he lost some battles. That doesn’t make him less伟大. It makes him human.
Jason Lo
June 7, 2024 AT 16:43

I’ve read every one of his papers. They’re brilliant. But why is no one talking about how he ignored the rise of digital literacy? He was stuck in print. His textbooks were printed in 1987 and still used in 2020. That’s not legacy. That’s neglect.
Harsh Vardhan pandey
June 9, 2024 AT 05:10

All this praise and no one mentions he was married to a British woman? His whole 'decolonization' thing was performative. He spoke Yoruba poorly. His kids went to private school in London. This isn’t reverence-it’s mythmaking.
jesse pinlac
June 10, 2024 AT 18:24

The fact that we’re still debating whether his legacy is 'authentic' proves how little we understand about intellectual authority. He didn’t need validation from Reddit. He built a curriculum that outlived empires. That’s the only metric that matters.
Stephanie Reed
June 11, 2024 AT 10:08

I just wanted to say thank you, Professor Banjo. I was a shy kid from a village in Enugu. Your book on Nigerian poetry was the first time I saw my home language written with dignity. I became a teacher because of you. You didn’t just teach English-you gave us back our stories.

Mourning Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo: Celebrated UI Vice-Chancellor Passes Away at 90

Mourning a Giant of Nigerian Education: Remembering Professor Ayo Banjo

Academic Excellence and Global Pursuits

Leadership and Legacy at the University of Ibadan

A Life of Teaching and Scholarship

A Luminous Legacy

17 Comments

Mark Dodak

Shraddha Dalal

Elizabeth Alfonso Prieto

Kieran Scott

Joshua Gucilatar

Harry Adams

Drasti Patel

Steven Rodriguez

Ronda Onstad

musa dogan

Brian Gallagher

Jess Bryan

Derek Pholms

Jason Lo

Harsh Vardhan pandey

jesse pinlac

Stephanie Reed

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