Orisadipe Obasa, (January 1863 – 15 April 1940) was a Nigerian doctor and prince who played a significant role in the politics of

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

in the first decades of the 20th century.

Early years

Orisadipe Obasa was born in January 1863 in

Freetown Freetown () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, e ...

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

, into an

aristocratic Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense economic, political, and social influence. In Western Christian co ...

Saro family. His paternal grandfather was the Oba Elekole of

Ikole Ikole is a Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Ikole. The current Chairman of the Local Government is Prince Olominu Sola Ebenezer, who polled a total of 21,228 votes to defeat other candidates in the ...

, Ekiti, and his mother was from the

Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State located at the south western part of Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokut ...

royal family of the Akija of Ikija. As a youth, Obasa moved to Lagos. In 1878, he was admitted as Senior Foundation Scholar to the newly opened Wesleyan Boys High School (now Methodist Boys High School, Lagos) where he excelled academically. He eventually served as first President of the Old Boys Association of his high school. In 1883, his parents sent him to England to study medicine. He used the name George Stone Smith while in England. He was admitted to

King's College, Taunton King's College is an independent co-educational day and boarding school in Taunton, Somerset, England, providing education for 2 to 18-year-olds. Set across two sites, it is surrounded by Somerset countryside. A member school of the Woodard Co ...

, where he again was a star pupil, and went on to

St Thomas's Hospital Medical School St Thomas's Hospital Medical School in London was one of the oldest and most prestigious medical schools in the UK. The school was absorbed to form part of GKT School of Medical Education. History It was part of one of the oldest hospitals in ...

in London. He graduated in 1891 with

Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons Membership of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (MRCS) is a postgraduate diploma for surgeons in the UK and Ireland. Obtaining this qualification allows a doctor to become a member of one of the four surgical colleges in the UK and Ireland, namel ...

and the Licentiate of the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians of London, commonly referred to simply as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of ph ...

Career

In 1892, Obasa returned to Lagos and began a private medical practice. During the

Anglo-Ashanti wars The Anglo-Ashanti wars were a series of five conflicts that took place between 1824 and 1900 between the Ashanti Empire—in the Akan people, Akan interior of the Gold Coast (British colony), Gold Coast—and the British Empire and its African ...

, towards the end of the 19th century, he served in an expedition of the Lagos Constabulary in the Gold Coast colony. He was awarded a medal for his services, and in 1900, was appointed Assistant Colonial Surgeon in the Lagos medical service. He played an important role in public health campaigns in the

Lagos Colony Lagos Colony was a British Empire, British colonial possession centred on the port of Lagos in what is now southern Nigeria. Lagos was Lagos Treaty of Cession, annexed on 6 August 1861 under the threat of force by Commander Beddingfield of HMS ...

and the interior of southern Nigeria.

Personal life and politics

In 1902, Obasa married Charlotte Olajumoke, daughter of the wealthy merchant

Richard Beale Blaize Richard Beale Blaize (November 22, 1845 – September 21, 1904) was a Nigerian-Sierra Leonean businessman, newspaper publisher, financier, and black nationalist of Sierra Leonean and Nigerian heritage. Early life Richard Olamilege Blaize was bor ...

, and was given a comfortable house as a wedding present. In 1903, he visited Ekiti during Governor

William MacGregor Sir William MacGregor, (20 October 1846 – 3 July 1919)R. B. Joyce,', ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', Volume 5, Melbourne University Press, 1974, pp 158–160. Retrieved 29 September 2009 was a Scottish colonial administrator who was ...

's smallpox vaccination program. He made useful medical observations on subjects such as

yaws Yaws is a tropical infection of the skin, bones, and joints caused by the spirochete bacterium ''Treponema pallidum pertenue''. The disease begins with a round, hard swelling of the skin, in diameter. The center may break open and form an ulc ...

hookworm Hookworms are Gastrointestinal tract, intestinal, Hematophagy, blood-feeding, parasitic Nematode, roundworms that cause types of infection known as helminthiases. Hookworm infection is found in many parts of the world, and is common in areas with ...

and

inguinal hernia An inguinal hernia or groin hernia is a hernia (protrusion) of abdominal cavity contents through the inguinal canal. Symptoms, which may include pain or discomfort especially with or following coughing, exercise, or bowel movements, are absen ...

s. In 1904, Obasa resigned from his position as colonial surgeon so he could spend more time at home. He resumed his private practice and also plunged into politics. He was fluent in speech and writing, at ease with others, and had good family connections. In 1908, Obasa and Dr. John K. Randle founded the People's Union to agitate against the proposed water rates, which was the first political organisation in Nigeria. Obasa was secretary of the Union, while Randle was president. In 1911, Randle and Obasa seem to have travelled to London to make the case against Governor

Frederick Lugard Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard (22 January 1858 – 11 April 1945), known as Sir Frederick Lugard between 1901 and 1928, was a British soldier, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator. He was Governor of Hong Kong (1907� ...

's proposal to declare that all lands were government property. The Union continued to oppose the new water rates until yielding in 1916. The People's Union and its leaders lost favour with the electorate thereafter. However, Obasa was nominated in 1921 to the Nigerian Legislative Council, where he was active on various committees. At the time when the

Nigerian National Democratic Party The Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) was the first political party in Nigeria. The party was active in Lagos and was supported by the Lagos Daily Newspaper. History The NNDP was founded in on 24 June 1923 by Herbert Macaulay, the part ...

was founded in 1922 by

Herbert Macaulay Olayinka Herbert Samuel Heelas Badmus Macaulay (14 November 1864 – 7 May 1946) was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, surveyor, engineer, architect, journalist, and musician. Macaulay is considered by many as founder of Nigerian nat ...

, the leaders of the People's Union were Randle, Obasa, Sir

Kitoye Ajasa Sir Kitoye Ajasa (also spelled Kitoyi; 10 August 1866 – 1937) was a Nigerian lawyer and legislator during the colonial period. He was conservative, and worked closely with the colonial authorities. He thought that progress would only be poss ...

Richard Akinwande Savage Richard Akinwande Savage (1874–1935) was a prominent physician, journalist and politician in Lagos, Nigeria during the colonial era. Early years Richard Akinwande Savage was born in 1874, the son of a successful merchant in Lagos descended fr ...

and Sir

Adeyemo Alakija Oloye Sir Adeyemo Alakija, (25 May 1884 – 10 May 1952) was a Nigerian lawyer, politician and businessman. He served as a member of the Nigerian legislative council for nine years starting in 1933. In 1942, he became a member of the governor's ...

. Obasa's wife led the Women's Union. Both Unions favoured a measured approach to reforms. They could not compete with NNDP. In September 1923, the first elections were held for the Legislative Council. Obasa ran but was defeated. Randle died in 1928 and Obasa took leadership of what was left of the People's Union. At the time of the founding of the

Reformed Ogboni Fraternity The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, also known as the R.O.F, is an international fraternal organization. It is commonly described by initiates as a syncretic blend of the Ogboni system of Yorubaland and various external elements. History The Reforme ...

, he served as its inaugural Oluwo (or

master Master, master's or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles In education: *Master (college), head of a college *Master's degree, a postgraduate or sometimes undergraduate degree in the specified discipline *Schoolmaster or master, presiding office ...

). His wife, Charlotte, was at the same time made the Iya Abiye (or lady master) of the same group. They both led the nascent fraternity until their deaths. Obasa contracted

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

in 1926. As the disease progressed, he was increasingly incapacitated. He died, aged 77, in April 1940, at his Lagos home.

References

Sources

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Obasa, Orisadipe 1863 births 1940 deaths 19th-century Nigerian medical doctors Yoruba physicians Yoruba politicians 20th-century Nigerian politicians Sierra Leonean people of Yoruba descent Sierra Leonean emigrants to Nigeria People from colonial Nigeria History of Lagos Yoruba princes People from Freetown Neurological disease deaths in Nigeria Deaths from Parkinson's disease People educated at King's College, Taunton 20th-century Nigerian medical doctors Physicians from Lagos Saro people Alumni of St Thomas's Hospital Medical School Nigerian princes Methodist Boys' High School alumni Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate people