Francisca Nneka Okeke is a Professor of Physics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). She has contributed to the development of physics at the secondary and tertiary levels in her country Nigeria, writing several textbooks and articles that have enhanced the teaching and learning of the subject in the country.

A trailblazer, Prof. Okeke was the first female Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy (2003-2006), the first female Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences (2008-2010), the first indigenous woman who became a Professor in the Faculty of Science and Engineering of the UNN and the first woman Professor of Physics in East Nigeria. She currently serves as the Director of ICCSEE-UNN, where she continues supporting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and mentoring women and girls in science.

Prof. Okeke received several awards and recognitions for her contribution to her field. She is a laureate of the L’Oreal-UNESCO 2013 Award for Women in Science for Physical Sciences. She also received accolades from Nigerian academia in 2016 as one of the 10 Most Influential Nigerian Women in Science and among the top 10 lecturers in research and publication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

She has supervised 25 doctorate and 38 master’s students, including two who won the AU-TWAS Young Scientist Award in 2010 and the PG First VC’s Award for 2015-2016, respectively, while publishing 140 papers in international journals.

She is a Fellow of the World Academy of Science (FTWS), the Africa Academy of Science (FAAS), the Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS), and the Japanese Society for Promotion of Science (FJSPS).

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The photograph of Chief Abraham Salako—popularly remembered as Afilaka—standing beside a Peugeot 404 in the 1960s is more than just a family heirloom. It is a cultural snapshot of post-independence Nigeria, where tradition and modernity converged in striking ways.

Chief Abraham Salako – Afilaka

Chief Abraham Salako was a respected Yoruba community leader whose nickname, Afilaka, became inseparable from his identity. In Yoruba tradition, such epithets often outlive the individual, capturing achievements, traits, or community influence. Over time, Salako’s nickname grew into a family identity, adopted proudly by his descendants as a surname—an enduring marker of heritage.

As a chief, Salako embodied the hybrid role of mid-20th century Yoruba leaders: guardians of custom on one hand, and pioneers of modern lifestyles on the other. His position reflected the aspirations of a Nigeria newly freed from colonial rule in 1960, when chiefs and elites sought to blend ancestral authority with contemporary sophistication.

The Peugeot 404 in Nigeria

The Peugeot 404, produced between 1960 and 1975 by French automaker Peugeot, quickly became one of the most recognizable cars in Nigeria. The car in Salako’s possession, identified by the license plate WL6404A in family memory, was more than a mode of transportation—it was a symbol.

Prestige and Affluence

In 1960s Nigeria, to own a Peugeot 404 was to declare success. Chiefs, politicians, and prosperous traders often used the vehicle to showcase their social standing.

Durability in Africa

The 404’s reputation was cemented by its performance in tough conditions, including multiple victories in the East African Safari Rally (1963, 1966, 1967, 1968). In Nigeria, where roads were still developing, the Peugeot was celebrated as a car that could withstand both rough terrain and long journeys.

Economic Ties with Europe

The Peugeot also mirrored Nigeria’s trade relations with France. In later years, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) was established in Kaduna (1972), ensuring that the 404 and its successors became a fixture of Nigerian motoring life.

Nigeria in the 1960s – The Backdrop

Chief Salako’s photograph cannot be divorced from the larger context of 1960s Nigeria:

A New Nation

Nigeria had just gained independence in 1960. Cars like the Peugeot 404 were embraced as markers of modernity and progress.

Tradition Meets Modernity

Chiefs like Salako stood at the crossroads of two worlds. They retained the respect of traditional leadership structures while embracing the tools of modern life, from Western education to imported automobiles.

Cocoa Wealth and the Rise of an Elite Class

In Western Nigeria, the cocoa boom of the 1950s–60s fueled prosperity. Elites and community leaders invested their wealth in modern housing, education, and cars like the Peugeot 404—symbols of both personal success and communal pride.

The Legacy of Afilaka

Chief Abraham Salako’s legacy did not end with his lifetime. The adoption of Afilaka as a family name illustrates how Yoruba nicknames can evolve into permanent identities, linking generations to ancestral memory.

His photograph beside the Peugeot 404 captures a defining moment in Nigerian history: when chiefs personified both cultural continuity and forward-looking aspiration. It is a visual testimony of ambition, prestige, and the embrace of modern sophistication in a rapidly changing nation.

Cultural Significance

This single family photograph is more than a keepsake. It is a window into post-independence Nigeria—showing how imported cars became symbols of modern status, how Yoruba chiefs navigated between tradition and progress, and how heritage can be preserved in a single name.

The license plate number (WL6404A) should be treated as a family detail rather than a confirmed archival record, since 1960s Nigerian license plate registries are not publicly digitized.

The link between cocoa wealth and elite car ownership is broadly accurate, but Chief Salako’s direct connection to cocoa trade is part of the wider Yoruba elite narrative rather than a verified individual record.

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Ekei Eyo as Malvolio in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Queen’s College for Girls, Lagos
Circa 1940s

Editor’s Note: After diligently searching through archival records for over an hour, we experienced a Eureka moment when we successfully identified the young student in this photograph as Ekei Essien Oku (née Eyo).

Born on 22 January 1924 in Calabar, Ekei Essien Oku was a pioneering Nigerian librarian, historian, and writer. She was one of the first chartered librarians in Nigeria and notably the first woman to serve as a Chief Librarian in the country.

Her early education included Queen’s College, Lagos, where she appeared in several productions—including this staging of Twelfth Night. She began her career as a teacher before transitioning into librarianship. She later studied at the North Western Polytechnic in London (now part of the University of North London), returning home in 1953 as the first Nigerian woman chartered librarian.

In 1964, she became the first woman Chief Librarian in Nigeria, serving both in Calabar and in Lagos. A dedicated scholar, she published the landmark historical study The Kings and Chiefs of Old Calabar (1785–1925) in 1989, drawing from missionary records that shed light on the colonial era, slave revolts, and local governance.

Her life and work attracted international recognition, and in 2000 she was profiled by the BBC in a half-hour feature, African Perspective.

Ekei Essien Oku passed away on 16 October 2004, at the age of 80. Her legacy as a trailblazer in Nigerian history and librarianship endures. May her beautiful soul rest in peace.

Photo Credit: Duckworth, E. H., 1894–1972 (Photographer) / Herskovits Library of African Studies
Text © ASIRI Magazine

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