J. F. Ade Ajayi facts for kids

Jacob Festus Adeniyi Ajayi, known as J. F. Ade Ajayi, was a famous Nigerian historian. He was born on May 26, 1929, and passed away on August 9, 2014. He was part of the Ibadan school, a group of smart people who wanted to tell African history from an African point of view.

Ade Ajayi believed that history often shows how things continue over time, not just how big events change everything. He thought that even major events in African life might leave some parts of the culture strong and unchanged. He also wrote in a calm, fair way, even when talking about tricky topics.

J. F. Ade Ajayi's Life Story

Early Life and Education

Ajayi was born in Ikole-Ekiti on May 26, 1929. His father worked for the Oba (traditional ruler) of Ikole during the time of Native Authorities, which were local governments.

He started school at St Paul's School in Ikole when he was five. Later, he went to Ekiti Central School, hoping to become a teacher. But after hearing about Igbobi College in Lagos, he decided to apply there. He got in with a scholarship and moved to Lagos for high school.

After Igbobi College, he was accepted into the University of Ibadan. He had to choose between History, Latin, or English for his degree. He picked History. In 1952, he traveled to England to study at Leicester University. There, he learned from Professor Jack Simmons, a very smart historian.

In 1956, he married Christie Ade Ajayi. After finishing his studies, he worked as a research fellow in London from 1957 to 1958. Then, he came back to Nigeria and joined the history department at the University of Ibadan.

Leading a University

In 1964, Ajayi became the Dean of Arts at the University of Ibadan. Later, he was promoted to Deputy Vice-Chancellor. In 1972, he became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos. This is like being the main leader of the university.

During his time as Vice-Chancellor, many new buildings were put up. Student housing also got better. For example, King Jaja Hall was built in 1973, and Queen Amina and Queen Moremi halls were made bigger.

Towards the end of his time as Vice-Chancellor, there was a difficult period. The government at the time introduced new fees for students, which made many students unhappy. They wanted free education and started protests, which became known as "Ali must go". During these protests, a student named Akintunde Ojo sadly died. The student protests continued, and some people used the situation to cause trouble. In 1978, he was removed from his position and went back to Ibadan. There, he kept working on his historical research.

Later Years and Recognition

In 1993, Ajayi received the "Distinguished Africanist Award" from the African Studies Association. This award recognized his important work in African studies. In 1994, he became an Honorary Fellow of SOAS University of London.

J. F. Ade Ajayi passed away on August 9, 2014, at the age of 85. He was buried in his hometown of Ikole Ekiti.

How J. F. Ade Ajayi Changed History Writing

New Ways to Study History

J. F. Ade Ajayi was one of the first people to write about Nigerian and African history in a new way. He helped the Ibadan School become well-known for its African research. He was famous for how much hard work and careful research he put into his books.

He often used oral sources, which are stories and information passed down by word of mouth. For example, when writing about the Yoruba before the 1900s, he carefully checked and compared many different stories. This helped him find facts in a time when there weren't many written records.

Ajayi also tried to be fair and balanced in his writing. This was true even when he wrote about sensitive topics in African history. For instance, he wrote about Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a hero to him, in a very honest and thoughtful way. His careful research showed new ways to study African history. It also helped scholars outside Africa understand African ways of thinking and researching. By looking at both written and oral sources, he found new details about how the British took over Lagos. He balanced official British documents with other information.

Understanding Nigerian Nationalism

Another important idea in his work was nationalism. This is the feeling of pride and unity among people in a country. Ajayi believed that religious movements helped create the foundation for modern Nigerian nationalism.

The Fulani Jihad in the early 19th century helped bring people together in the north. In the south, Christian missionaries, like the Christian Missionary Society (CMS), also helped create a sense of unity. These missionaries also started schools. These schools educated a new group of people who later wanted to create a new social and political system for Nigeria. However, this new system often looked to European ideas for how society, politics, and the economy should work.

Ajayi also thought about Pan-Africanism, which is the idea of all African people uniting. He believed it was important for nationalism, but he looked at it with careful thought.

Books by J. F. Ade Ajayi

• Yoruba Warfare in the Nineteenth century. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England 1964.
• Christian Missions in Nigeria, 1841–1891: The Making of a New elite.
• Editor, General History of Africa, vol. VI, UNESCO, 1989.
• Co-Editor, A Thousand Years of West African History.
• Co-Editor with Michael Crowder: History of West Africa, Longman, London 1971. ISBN: 0-231-04103-9.