Ajayi Crowther University Mourns Pioneer Nigerian Linguist, Professor Emeritus Ayo Bamgbose

Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Professor Emeritus Ayo Bamgbose, Nigeria's first Professor of Linguistics, who passed away on July 25, 2026, at the age of 94.

In a condolence message addressed to his family and the National President of the St. Andrew's College Old Boys Association (SACOBA), the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ebunoluwa Oduwole, described the late academic as "a titan whose influence spanned generations and continents."

She noted that Professor Bamgbose was instrumental in shaping the field of linguistics in Nigeria, saying he "did not merely occupy a chair—he built the discipline itself," adding that his scholarly works remain enduring references in the study of indigenous African languages.

Beyond his global academic reputation, ACU highlighted Professor Bamgbose's pivotal role in the establishment and growth of the university. His involvement began in 1999 when he represented SACOBA on the Governing Council of St. Andrew's College of Education, serving until 2003 and contributing to the institution's transition into a university.

He later served on the university's Implementation Committee, particularly the Planning and Technical Committee, where he helped prepare the Academic Brief that led to the granting of ACU's operating licence on January 7, 2005. He subsequently served as a member of the university's inaugural Governing Council from 2005 to 2014 under the chairmanship of Professor Emeritus Ayo Banjo.

The university also recalled that, as President of SACOBA, Professor Bamgbose led the association in donating the SACOBA House and National Secretariat to the St. Andrew's Campus of ACU. In recognition of his immense contributions to the institution, a campus street was named in his honour.

Professor Bamgbose began his academic journey at St. Andrew's College, Oyo, where he enrolled in 1948 and qualified as a Grade II teacher in 1951. Throughout his distinguished career, he received numerous honours and became one of Africa's most celebrated linguists.

Paying tribute to his enduring impact, Professor Oduwole said his legacy extends far beyond his publications and accolades, living on through the scholars he mentored, the academic departments he helped establish, the disciplines he institutionalised, and the generations of students inspired by his work.

The university described Professor Bamgbose as a towering figure in African linguistics whose contributions to scholarship and education will continue to influence Nigeria and the continent for generations.