Professor Ayo Bamgbose, NAL Founding President and UI Linguistics Icon, Dies at 94

Professor Ayo Bamgbose, the founding President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) and emeritus linguistics professor at University of Ibadan, died in the early hours of Saturday, July 25, 2026, at the age of 94. DAILY POST gathered the news, with VC Professor Kayode Adebowale confirming the death and stating the university community has commiserated with his family, friends and the intellectual legacy he leaves behind.

Bamgbose dedicated his career to linguistics, lecturing at UI for decades before retiring. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 1971 to 1973 and was celebrated as a foremost African linguist whose scholarship advanced the study of Nigerian languages nationally and internationally. His leadership at NAL helped establish it as a key institution for literary and linguistic development in Nigeria, promoting indigenous language scholarship during a period when African languages were often marginalized in academia.

The passing of this 94-year-old icon represents a significant loss for academia, particularly in linguistics and language preservation efforts across West Africa. Colleagues and students remember him as a mentor who bridged traditional linguistic knowledge with modern academic rigor, leaving behind a body of work that continues to influence language policy and education in the region.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/07/26/nal-foundational-president-bamgbose-is-dead/