S. Adeboye Babalola
| S. Adeboye Babalola | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1926 |
| Died | 2008 |
| Occupation |
poet academic |
|
| |
Contents
Notes
Office Notes
House Notes
1966 Amaury Talbot award for The content and form of Yoruba Ijala (Clarendon, 1966)
Notes From Elsewhere
S. Adeboye Babalola, in full Solomon Adeboye Babalola (born December 17, 1926, Nigeria—died December 15, 2008) poet and scholar known for his illuminating study of Yoruba ìjalá (a form of oral poetry) and his translations of numerous folk tales. He devoted much of his career to collecting and preserving the oral traditions of his homeland.
Babalola received his education in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cambridge, England, and earned a Ph.D. at the University of London. On his return to Nigeria he held such positions as lecturer at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ife; principal of Igbobi College, Lagos; and professor of African languages and literatures at the University of Lagos. His Content and Form of Yoruba Ijala (1966) provides both a critical introduction to this vernacular poetic form and an annotated anthology of ìjalá poems (hunters’ songs), with English translations. His writings are considered among the best recent efforts of scholars to conserve African oral traditions.
He set out early in life determined to be a great scholar right from his birthplace of Ipetumodu and he showed promise of great intellect right from primary school and at Igbobi College, Yaba, which he entered in 1938 as a form one student. At Igbobi; he made it quite clear that he was there for scholarship, to excel and to leave an indelible track record. He ended up by scoring Al distinction in all his nine subjects for which he was entered at the Cambridge school certificate examination in 1943; a record which might have been equalled but has never been surpassed.
Publications
External Publications
The content and form of Yoruba Ijala (Clarendon, 1966)
A Dictionary of Yoruba Personal Names Hardcover – Import, July, 2006
by Adeboye Babalola (Author), Olugboyega Alaba (Author)
More than conquerors Unknown Binding – 1996
by S. A Babalola (Author)
