The last time I set my eyes on the iconic Obaro Ikime was on 10 April 2023. I was away in Monrovia plying my craft, the way he taught me to do, when I heard the news of his fast declining health status. I came in for the Easter holidays with a determination to see him. I did after several efforts but it was on his sick bed in a hospital in Bodija, Ibadan. He was asleep after what the nurses described to me as a troubled night. I insisted that he should be left to rest. I hurriedly dashed to the airport to catch my flight back to Abuja. I was confident that in spite of his health challenges, he will once again overcome this difficult episode in his health history. I never wanted to see him in his weak state, he was indeed my icon, an avatar that must not exhibit feebleness. He is now in a permanent state of rest. He was 86 years old. We, his academic and biological family, thank God for the privilege of knowing him and his prodigious impact on us. Sixteen years ago, when he turned 70, the Department of History at Ibadan under my headship held a conference in his honour. At that historic gathering, I gave the citation below. I thank my fellow brother in the Ikime family -Kunle Elegbede for exhuming it.
CITATION OF VENERABLE PROFESSOR OBARO IKIME FHSN PRESENTED ON THE OCCASION OF AN INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE IN HONOUR OF OBARO IKIME AT 70, HELD AT THE FACULTY OF ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, IBADAN.
by Prof C.B.N. Ogbogbo, Ph.D.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
Today, the Department of History, University of Ibadan pays some of the debts it owes to Obaro Ikime. It is true that we did not celebrate his retirement on15th October 1990 partly due to the circumstances surrounding his exit and more importantly because it was evident that he was far from being tired. Although officially disengaged, he continued to render pro bono services to the Department. He was one of the few that harkened to our distress call when the Department was struck by a drought of lecturers. Gratuitously, he continued to teach at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels until recently. On behalf of the Department of History, University of Ibadan and the Historical Society of Nigeria, I congratulate Professor Obaro Ikime, as he turned seventy on the 30th of December 2006. It is historic that on that day, this 70 years old vicar of the Anglican Church of the
Redeemer, old Ife Road, Ibadan, was elevated from being a Canon to an Archdeacon in the Ibadan Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion. We are here gathered this day under the auspices of the Department of History, University of Ibadan to celebrate
a historian and indeed a historic figure, easily, one of the most distinguished intellectual giants to have treaded the path that has come to be known as the Ibadan School of History. We celebrate the husband of the amiable and velvet voiced Hannah, father of big Mazino, Majiro and Maino. It is for a first class historian, an icon of the Ibadan School of History, the father of inter- group
relations in Nigeria, a former Head of the Department of History and one time Director of the Institute of African studies, University of Ibadan,
a former President and Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria, the founding President of the Nigerian Academy of Arts, a servant of God and an Archdeacon of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion. It is for the Isoko born and Ibadan trained historian that we are gathered. It is for a patriotic Nigerian, a man of uncommon brilliance, strength of character, dexterity and dedication to scholarship and his God. It is for Venerable Professor Obaro Ikime that we have assembled.
This icon of the Ibadan School of History and a foremost historian of his generation who has touched many lives intellectually and spiritually
is the one we are gathered to celebrate. The Department of History at Ibadan is proud to be associated with such an academic colossus whose over thirty years of romance with the University of Ibadan as a student, lecturer, administrator and mentor has continued to make indelible mark in the affairs of this country. His strong personality and convictions are reflected in his engagements in the academia, the church, and the nation at large. That Obaro rose to become a reputable scholar and an outstanding Professor of History is not surprising. While some people are born great, others achieve greatness. Apart from his brainpower, Obaro clearly falls within the latter category of the greats. The preponderance of evidence pertaining to his early beginnings indicates that he was a high-flier. Mazino avers that his dad was virtually on scholarship throughout
his secondary school and university education. He finished his school certificate examinations from the prestigious Government College Ughelli
with a division one grade and repeated this top-flight performance when he graduated with a second-class upper division in History at Ibadan.
Thus far, this has remained the best attainable grade in the 59 years existence of the department.
At age thirty-seven, after eleven years in the academia, he became a Professor of History in a Department that had made its mark in the circles of the enlightened. Indeed, the pioneering effort of the Obaro Ikime generation of historians in revolutionizing African History attracted
scholars from all over the world who paid regular professional pilgrimage to the History department. Important is the fact that Obaro was one of those that built up the fame of the Ibadan School of history, a feat that ultimately placed the University of Ibadan on the intellectual map of the world. His doctoral thesis on the ‘Niger-Delta rivalry: Itsekiri – Urhobo relations and the European Presence 1884 – 1936’ is one of the classics from the school. It is a masterly and ground-breaking effort in helping to understand the discourse on inter-group relations between two prominent Nigerian groups in the Niger Delta. This, and his subsequent foray into other aspects of Nigerian history, positioned him as
a leading light in the field of Nigerian and African History. He pioneered efforts in introducing courses on inter group relations, teaching and calling attention to this crucial aspect of study for the purpose of nation building. This commitment and devotion earned him
the appellation – father of inter-group relations. What is not often remembered and acknowledged is that his thesis and subsequent works- such as ‘The Fall of Nigeria’ provides the historical foundations of what is today christened Conflict Studies. Dr Olawale Albert, a major facilitator of the Peace and Conflict Studies Programme at Ibadan and its present coordinator was one of Obaro’s students in the History Department. Pertaining to the quality of his writings, I will invite you to listen to Dr O.B. Osadolor’s paper for this conference titled – Obaro Ikime: In the shadow of his works. I will however fall to the temptation of making a few remarks. His edited work on the Groundwork of Nigerian History remains the magnum opus on Nigerian History. Also, Obaro’s simplistic style of writing, his short sentences and doze of incisive analysis in his works, marks him out as a master historian. No doubt Obaro’s career was positively influenced by the quality of accomplished scholars that he
interacted with at Ibadan. Prominent amongst these giants were Kenneth Onwuka Dike, the pathfinder and godfather of African History, J.F. Ade Ajayi, the oracle of history at Ibadan, and other gurus of the school, such as C.C. Ifemesia, E.A. Ayandele, A.E. Afigbo, R.A. Adeleye, J.A. Atanda, O. Adewoye and B.A. Mojuetan. This doyen of the Ibadan school of history that we are here gathered to honour was also an outstanding administrator. This virtue of leadership can again be traced back to his secondary school days. At the then prestigious Government College Ughelli, he was the Head Prefect of the school in 1954/5, a position for outstanding students with leadership ability. He remained the only student to have been so appointed while at the same time retaining his position as a house prefect. Even in his sporting activities, his leadership qualities earned him the position of the captain of the cricket team in his secondary school.
At Ibadan, his sporting prowess came with administrative responsibilities of being the coach to the volleyball, badminton and soccer teams. His dedication to his pursuits stood him out for leadership in virtually all his endeavours. As a member of the Historical Society, he rose to the position of National President. His record as president of the society indicated that he stood in stout defence of his discipline and its propagation. This was at a time when the fortunes of History as a discipline had dwindled in a Nigeria that exhibited the lack of a sense of history in the conduct of its affairs.
Apart from membership of the senate, he was for four years a member of the University of Ibadan Governing Council between 1977-1981 and served in the same capacity at the Universities of Sokoto (1984-1986) and Delta State University from 2003 till date. At the Auchi Polytechnic, he was the Chairman of the Governing Council between 1987-1990. In addition to the ones mentioned earlier.
Obaro also served the University of Ibadan in several administrative capacities. He was twice chairman of the
University Sports Council, National Secretary and later 3rd National Vice-President of University of Ibadan Alumni Association- the best of its kind in the country. Even before he joined the clergy, our erudite professor had held several positions in the Chapel of the Resurrection, University of Ibadan.
In 1988, he became the Chairman of the Chapel Committee- a body that approximates to the Governing
Council of the church. The point in emphasis is that his leadership qualities attracted to him numerous administrative positions in several institutions across the country. Through these positions, he positively impacted on the development of tertiary education in the country.
Obaro was not just focused on intellectual pursuits, he actively engaged his community. At Ughelli and Ibadan, his sporting prowess won him several laurels. Later as a staff, he held a number of University positions in this regard, and also attained national visibility. He was
Chairman of Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) and Vice President of African University Sports. It will suffice to assert that his sporting engagements, like his academic activities, also brought him international attention. The knack for distinguishing himself in all that he did, paid off in his athletic physique. It is a case of a sound mind in a physically fit body. This combination explains why in spite of his exciting and exerting engagements, he has continued to retain an ever-youthful look. In recognition of his active support and participation
in sport, the football team of the Department of History (who have for sometime remained the university champions) is named Obaro
babes- after our eminent historian.
We celebrate Obaro’s service to his nation. He was a member of the body that drafted the 1979 constitution for Nigeria. The National University
Commission also benefited from his membership of its Academic Planning Group between 1976- 1977. He was one of the eggheads that put together
what is today Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma. Indeed, before the axe of his retirement fell, Obaro’s accomplishments were of such immense
profundity that he could even at that time justifiably thumb his chest and say like Ceasar in his finest hour – vini, vidi vici. It is for this fine scholar that has impacted our lives that we gather to celebrate.
Although Obaro joined the full time service in the Lord’s vineyard not too long ago, he has also made a success of his calling as a servant of God.
In about a decade, he rose from the position of a deacon to that of an archdeacon. During this period, he served in three churches within the Ibadan
diocese and was the vicar in two of them. Judging by the testimony of his Bishop, the church is also pleased with his service and is reluctant to let him
off the hook of active service.
At 70, Obaro has joined the class of the J.F. Ade-Ajayis who have attained the status of intellectual divinities. They are venerated and consulted by
scholars from across the continents and revered by students who hold them in awe. Obaro Ikime’s gift to the nation on the occasion of his 70th
birthday celebration is his latest book titled ‘History, The Historian and The Nation: Voice of A Nigerian Historian’. This gift is a pointer to his love for
the history discipline and for the Nigerian nation. However, he still owes us his memoirs and it is our prayer that this will be redeemed before or
when he turns eighty years.
The chairman, distinguished academics, it is this quintessential academic and an accomplished minister of God that
we are gathered to celebrate. Obaro is one of our heroes in whom we are pleased.
It is for him that this bell tolls.Thank you for listening.
Prof C.B.N. Ogbogbo
Postscript
Prof Ikime lived to a ripe old age of 86 years. For this, we remain grateful. He continued to inspire many historians after his seventieth birthday.
On several occasions, he called me to pick him up from the Archives after spending hours researching. He was 82 years at the time. He kept
researching and writing. His last book, ‘Can anything Good Come Out of History?’ was published in 2018, less than five years ago. He was
indeed dedicated to scholarship and wanted us to do a book together. My move to Abuja partly frustrated that proposal. I also recall that his
last outing on the platform of the Historical Society of Nigeria was in Abuja in 2015. As the then President of the Society, he was one of the icons invited to the conference. As I picked him from his house to the airport, mummy Hannah said to me ‘Take care of your daddy,
he isn’t feeling too well’. I monitored him like a gadfly and reduced the traffic to his hotel room. He made himself available to virtually all the young historians that attended the conference who sought to take pictures with him. For a man who was then in his late 70s, it was quite some strain, but he waded through it. According to him, he was happy to see a lot of young folks who were budding historians in spite of the
Government’s anti-history policy at the time. He won the heart and minds of the younger generation who were glad to meet the editor of the