Sir Samuel Layinka Ayodeji Manuwa was one of the most consequential figures in the history of Nigerian medicine. A visionary surgeon, medical educator, and public health administrator, he helped build the institutions and training systems that define modern Nigerian healthcare.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1903 in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Manuwa received his early schooling in Nigeria before travelling to Britain for medical training. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a physician in 1926. Four years later, in 1930, he achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Nigerian to pass the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS)—at the time the highest professional qualification in surgery.
Medical Innovation and Surgical Achievements
Manuwa’s clinical brilliance extended beyond routine practice. He invented the Manuwa tonsil guillotine, a surgical instrument that improved the efficiency and safety of tonsillectomy procedures and became widely adopted in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery. This innovation placed him among the few Nigerian doctors of his era to make a lasting contribution to international surgical technique.
Builder of Medical Institutions
Returning to Nigeria, Manuwa became a driving force behind the creation of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, which opened in 1957 as Nigeria’s first teaching hospital and remains a premier centre for medical education and research.
Before independence, he rose through the colonial medical service to become Inspector-General of Medical Services—later equivalent to Director of Medical Services—and subsequently served as Chief Medical Adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria. From these positions he guided national health policy, expanded public health infrastructure, and shaped the growth of medical education, including the development of later medical schools in Lagos and Ile-Ife.
Honours and International Recognition
In recognition of his achievements, Manuwa was knighted by the British Crown in 1954, becoming Sir Samuel Manuwa, one of the very few Nigerian medical professionals to receive such an honour during the colonial era.
Enduring Legacy
Sir Samuel Manuwa’s career combined surgical innovation, institutional leadership, and public service.
By creating medical institutions, mentoring future Nigerian doctors, and improving surgical practice, he set enduring standards for healthcare in Nigeria. His influence can still be traced in the training of medical specialists, the functioning of UCH Ibadan, and the nation’s medical schools.
He died in 1976, but his pioneering role as Nigeria’s first FRCS surgeon, inventor of a globally used surgical instrument, and architect of the country’s modern health system continues to inspire generations of doctors and medical educators.
Key Achievements
First Nigerian to earn the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) (1930)
Inventor of the Manuwa tonsil guillotine, widely used in ENT surgery
Founding contributor to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan
Inspector-General / Director of Medical Services, Nigeria
Chief Medical Adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria
Knighted in 1954 for services to medicine and public health
Sources
University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan archives
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