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Professor Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh (1933–1997): A Pioneer of Modern Nigerian Medicine and Academia

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Professor Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh was one of the most influential figures in Nigerian medical history. A pioneering physician, scholar, and administrator, he shaped the country’s medical education system and helped lay the groundwork for modern research institutions whose impact endures today.

Early Life and Heritage

Born on 4 October 1933 in Lagos, Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh came from a family steeped in the story of Nigeria itself. His father, Julius Gordon Kwasi Adadevoh, traced his ancestry to the royal house of Anyako in Ghana, while his mother, Sarah Abigail Idowu Adadevoh (née Macaulay), was the daughter of Herbert Macaulay, the renowned nationalist and one of the leading voices for Nigerian independence.
This proud lineage of civic responsibility and public service would echo through Babatunde’s life and later in the work of his own daughter, Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, the physician whose courageous actions during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Lagos saved countless lives.

Education and Medical Training

Adadevoh’s early schooling at Baptist Academy, Lagos, and Igbobi College, Yaba, prepared him for a life of rigorous scholarship. He began his medical studies at University College, Ibadan, then affiliated with the University of London, before moving to the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom to complete his degree.

His quest for advanced knowledge took him further afield: postgraduate work at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and a research fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital between 1962 and 1964 placed him in the company of some of the world’s leading medical scientists. These experiences broadened his vision and gave him the skills to help build Nigeria’s fledgling medical research infrastructure.

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Academic Career and Research

By 1968, Adadevoh had become Professor of Chemical Pathology at the University of Ibadan, where he trained a generation of Nigerian medical scientists. His research spanned abnormal haemoglobins, reproduction, and family planning among African populations—fields that were vital to the development of public health strategies in a newly independent nation.

He also became the first editor-in-chief of the Nigerian Journal of Medical Sciences, creating a platform for Nigerian medical researchers to publish and share their findings at a time when opportunities for African scientists were scarce.

Leadership and Nation-Building

Adadevoh’s influence went far beyond the laboratory. He served as the first Director of the Medical Research Council of Nigeria, the body that later evolved into today’s Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). His leadership helped institutionalize medical research and set national standards for scientific inquiry.

In November 1978, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), a position he held until 1980. His tenure coincided with a turbulent period of military rule and student activism, yet he guided the institution through expansion and reform, reinforcing its status as one of Nigeria’s leading universities.

Adadevoh also worked closely with the Nigerian Medical Council, serving as Secretary to the Board in Physic (Medicine)—a role central to establishing professional standards and laying the groundwork for what would become the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, ensuring that Nigeria could train its own medical specialists without relying exclusively on overseas institutions.

A Sportsman and Scholar

Beyond the lecture halls and boardrooms, Adadevoh was a talented cricketer, representing his school, university, and even playing at national level. Cricket, a sport introduced during the colonial period, became for him both recreation and a symbol of the cosmopolitan education that defined Nigeria’s early professional elite.

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Legacy and Family Continuity

Professor Adadevoh died on 5 October 1997, just one day after his 64th birthday. His legacy lives on in multiple ways:

in Nigeria’s strong postgraduate medical training system and research culture; in the many physicians and academics he mentored; and in the heroic example of his daughter, Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, whose courage during the Ebola crisis in 2014 echoed her father’s lifelong commitment to public health and national service.

Today, his life stands as a testament to the possibilities of visionary leadership in science and education—and to a family tradition of service that spans generations.

Sources:
Royal College of Physicians. “Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh.” Inspiring Physicians. history.rcp.ac.uk

Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation (BLERF). “Professor Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh.” blerf.org

University of Lagos Archives. “History of Vice-Chancellors.” unilag.edu.ng

Professor Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh remains a towering figure in Nigeria’s intellectual and medical history—a bridge between the nationalist spirit of his grandfather Herbert Macaulay and the modern public health heroism of his daughter, Dr. Stella Adadevoh.

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Declare Your Lineage – Royal Family Tells Musician KWAM 1 Over His Interest In Becoming Next Awujale Of Ijebuland

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December 7, 2025

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KWAM 1, in a letter dated December 3, 2025, addressed to the chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Agunsebi Quarters, Ijebu-Ode, announced his interest in the stool, describing himself as a “bonafide son” of the ruling house.

The Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu-Ode, next in line to produce the new Awujale of Ijebuland, Ogun State, has instructed Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, to confirm his family’s royal lineage to validate his membership in the ruling house.

KWAM 1, in a letter dated December 3, 2025, addressed to the chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Agunsebi Quarters, Ijebu-Ode, announced his interest in the stool, describing himself as a “bonafide son” of the ruling house.

KWAM 1 also stated that his candidacy aligns with Ijebu customary law and the Ogun State Chieftaincy Laws.

In an interview with Punch, the Chairman of the ruling house and former National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Abdulateef Owoyemi, said only bonafide members of the family would be allowed to participate in the selection process.

Owoyemi explained that KWAM 1, Olori Omooba of Ijebu land and others interested in the stool have been directed to complete the Fusengbuwa ruling house royal lineage data form.

According to him, the form, which requires contenders to trace their genealogy back seven generations, ensures that only genuine princes from the family can participate, thereby blocking “strangers” from claiming the throne.

He said, “The first step for anyone interested in contesting for the Awujale throne is to declare their lineage by filling the standard Fusengbuwa ruling house royal lineage data form. Once confirmed as a legitimate member of the ruling house, they can then apply for the expression of interest form.

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“We have told him, just like everyone else interested in the Awujale throne, that the first step is to declare his lineage. He will do this by completing the royal lineage data form, showing his full name, which parent and grandparent he descends from, and continuing up to seven generations.

“The completed form will be signed and submitted to the head of the ruling house unit of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, who will affirm that he is a genuine member. Only then will the process move forward.”

Owoyemi emphasised that although the application window for the throne officially closed on December 5, KWAM 1 had been given a five-day extension, which would lapse on December 10.

He noted, “We won’t shut anybody out of picking the next Awujale, but we must ensure that you are a legitimate member of Fusengbuwa. Every right comes with responsibilities. For a royal family, everyone must prove their legitimacy by completing the royal lineage data form.

“When we receive the form, we will review it meticulously. If clarification is needed, we will contact the applicant. We welcome men of influence who will use their influence to enhance the throne, not to claim it, ensuring that what truly belongs to our family is preserved.”

Owoyemi explained that the local government has given them 14 days to select candidates, and the ruling house hopes to have a new Awujale by the second or third week of January 2026.

He added, “The local government has given us 14 days to select candidates, which expires on December 18. After that, the kingmakers have seven days to deliberate and choose one candidate, whose name will be forwarded to the governor.

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“Legally, the government then has 21 days to conduct background checks and security clearance, allowing for objections or protests. After this period, the State Executive Council will ratify the nominee, and the governor will announce the next Awujale, after which coronation rites will commence.

“So, combining the candidate selection, kingmakers’ deliberation, and legal objection period, we are looking at around 42 days. Therefore, we expect the next Awujale to emerge between the second and third week of January.”

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VIDEO: I’m Married But Not In My Husband’s House; I Didn’t Have The Experience Of Living Happily Ever After – Singer Shola Allyson Reveals

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December 7, 2025

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While speaking about her love life, the 54-year-old who came into limelight with a love album ‘Eji Owuro’, revealed that she is married but not living with her husband.

Sola Allyson, the popular Nigerian gospel singer, has revealed that she is not currently living with her husband.

The musician made this known in her latest interview on Oyinmomo TV.

While speaking about her love life, the 54-year-old who came into limelight with a love album ‘Eji Owuro’, revealed that she is married but not living with her husband.

Sharing her marital experience, the singer said she has never enjoyed the kind of happiness many people describe.

“I’m married, but I’m not in my husband’s house. We live separately. He in his house and I in mine.”

The interviewer asked: “You sang ‘Eji Owuro’, did you experience genuine love from your husband?

She replied, “We lied before. Those older than us didn’t inform us that it’s tough. They made us believe that so long as you both love each other, you will live happily ever after, but it’s a lie.

“That’s not the experience I have. I didn’t have the experience of living happily ever after. I did all I could to make it work.

“Marriage has been a big challenge. I hear people talk about joy in marriage, but I have never experienced it.”

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VIDEO: Shola Allyson Finally Opens Up, Reveals Why She Does Not Reference Jesus In Her Songs

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20 hours ago

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December 7, 2025

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Recall that Allyson, who is regarded as a gospel singer, was dragged on social media in March 2025 for not directly referencing ‘Jesus’ in all her songs.

Shola Allyson, the renowned Nigerian songstress, has opened up on the real reason she avoids mentioning the name of Jesus in all her songs.

Recall that Allyson, who is regarded as a gospel singer, was dragged on social media in March 2025 for not directly referencing ‘Jesus’ in all her songs.

Reacting to her critics in a post on X, the songstress stated that “No one can bully me into joining their darkness that looks like light because indolent souls find comfort in it”.

Finally revealing her reason for not mentioning Jesus in her songs, Shola Allyson on Saturday during her latest interview on Oyinmomo TV, stated that Jesus did not ask her to do PR for him.

She said “I’m not a religious singer. As I am, I have never introduced myself as a gospel singer. My name is Shola Allyson. I’m a singer”.

Interviewer; “Some people said you don’t mention ‘Jesus’ name’ in all your songs”.

She quickly responded “Jesus did not instruct us to mention his name in songs nor did Jesus ask us to do PR for Him”.

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