Lifestyle
Ekei Eyo as Malvolio in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Queen’s College for Girls, Lagos Circa 1940s
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
FOLLOW US ON:
Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo remains one of Nigeria’s most influential leaders, credited with major national developments.
Infrastructure: In March 1979, he inaugurated the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, which today stands as Nigeria’s busiest gateway to the world.
Education:
He introduced the Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme in 1976, which expanded free access to schooling across the country.
Agriculture:
Through Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), he encouraged food production and self-reliance.
Democracy:
He made history by becoming the first Nigerian military leader to hand over power to a civilian government (1979).
Telecommunications:
As civilian president, Obasanjo liberalized the telecom sector in 2001, bringing Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) into Nigeria. This revolutionized communication, connecting millions of Nigerians and boosting the economy.
International Role:
He positioned Nigeria as a respected African voice in global affairs, mediating in regional conflicts and strengthening the ECOWAS bloc.
From infrastructure to education, agriculture, telecoms, and democratic transitions, Obasanjo’s leadership left a lasting mark on Nigeria’s history.
FOLLOW US ON:
I’m Interested In The Evidence You Have Against Peter Obi – Aisha Yesufu Tells Adeyanju
‘Why Tinubu Must Arrest, Investigate, Prosecute Peter Obi, Aisha Yesufu And Sarah Ibrahim’
Education minister retracts claim, confirms 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement still valid
‘Sleeping Prince’ of Saudi Arabia dies after 20 years in coma
How A Class Of 24 Students Produced 2 Presidents, 4 Governors, 2 Ministers, 4 Emirs, 3 Justices, 4 Ambassadors and Other Influential Leaders
Why Do You Continue To Lie Against Your Motherland? Presidency Calls Out Kemi Badenoch
-
Lifestyle11 hours agoAlhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande being sworn in as the first Executive Governor of Lagos State by the State chief judge Adetunji Adefarasin in 1979
-
Lifestyle10 hours agoIn 1950, Josiah Olutunji Majekodunmi etched his name into history
-
Lifestyle10 hours ago1965: Joseph Mobutu Sese Seko, President of Congo
-
Lifestyle10 hours agoPHOTOS: Haunting photographs of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first Prime Minister, alongside his closest allies, Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito
-
Lifestyle10 hours agoBode Thomas, Nigeria’s first Minister of Transportation, died on November 23, 1953, under controversial circumstances
-
Business2 hours agoUK bans over 100 jobs from foreign recruitment to curb migration
-
Crime2 hours agoNigerian national pleads guilty to years-long romance scam that defrauded multiple US citizens of over $400,000
-
Lifestyle10 hours agoThe Ijora Power Station in Lagos is one of the oldest electricity plants in Nigeria and a landmark in the country’s early power infrastructure.