Kayode Ted Adams (died October 1969) was a student activist at the

University of Lagos The University of Lagos, popularly known as UNILAG, is a public research university located in Lagos, Nigeria and was founded in 1962. UNILAG is one of the first generation universities in Nigeria and is ranked among the top universities in th ...

(UNILAG) who became controversial in 1965 after stabbing then-Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Lagos,

Saburi Biobaku Saburi Oladeni Biobaku CMG (1918–2001) was a Nigerian scholar, a historian who was among a set of Yoruba historians who followed the pioneering effort of Samuel Johnson in setting the foundations of Yoruba historiography and creating reference ...

Attack on Saburi Biobaku

Following the non-renewal of Prof

Eni Njoku Eni Njoku (6 November 1917 – 22 December 1974) was a Nigerian botanist and educator. He was vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos (1962–1965) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1966–1970). He served in the Nigerian House of Represen ...

's term as VC of UNILAG, Prof Saburi Biobaku was appointed VC by the government of Sir

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (December 1912 – 15 January 1966) was a Nigerian politician who served as the first and only Prime Minister of Nigeria upon independence. Early life Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in December 1912 in modern-day ...

, then

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

. The decision was unpopular with UNILAG students who felt ethnic favoritism informed Biobaku's appointment. During Biobaku's outreach to the UNILAG community in June 1965, Kayode Adams approached the podium and stabbed Biobaku in the back. Biobaku was rushed to a UNILAG medical center where he was treated for his wounds while the

Nigerian Police The Nigeria Police Force is the principal law enforcement and the lead security agency in Nigeria. Designated by the 1999 constitution as the national police of Nigeria with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the country, as at 2016 it ha ...

arrested Adams. UNILAG was shut down for months following the stabbing incident because of resulting tensions.

Trial

Adams was arraigned for stabbing Biobaku, raised a defense of insanity, and pleaded not guilty. Despite his insanity defense, Adams was found guilty of attempted murder, confined to the

Yaba Psychiatric Hospital The Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, also known as Yaba Psychiatric Hospital or Yaba Left, is a Nigerian Federal psychiatric hospital Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospita ...

, and rusticated from UNILAG.

Death

Adams was found dead at Bar Beach, presumably from drowning in October 1969.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Kayode 1969 deaths University of Lagos alumni 20th-century births Nigerian activists