Professor Emeritus Akinlawon Ladipo Mabogunje’s remarkable life and career serve as a testament to his unwavering commitment to his work and ideals. This can be the only explanation that his legacy endures.

Born on October 18, 1931, Mabogunje’s personal consistency and steadfastness, as well as commitment to his work and ideals, not only stood him in good stead, these characteristics influenced many of his students, mentees, colleagues, collaborators, and well-wishers. In the words of the visionary, Pericles of Athens: ‘What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others’.

With much gratitude to this unique influencer, they have turned out not only better academics, (those who took that road, as Robert Frost would put it) but even those who took other roads, better human beings. I say this as one of his mentees – and with humility, one privileged to, for many years, related closely with this man of greatness.

His legacy, indubitable and indelible, endures first because the fruits of his scholarship and public service remain relevant and useful. Second, his ‘scholar-practitioner career-model’ sustains and testify to the impact and influence of his practice acumen.

Mabogunje exhibited academic excellence at an early age starting from his elementary education at Holy Trinity School and the United Native African Church School, both in Kano.

He later attended Ibadan Grammar School and the University College, Ibadan on an Egbe Omo Oduduwa scholarship, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography. His academic pursuit took him to the University of London, where he obtained his Master’s (1958) and Ph.D. (1961) in Geography. He was at that time, the first black man to earn a doctorate in his discipline. Indeed, for this and his subsequent work and achievements, he was called ‘The Father of African Geography.’

A career marked by dedication and excellence
Mabogunje’s professional career spanned over five decades, during which he demonstrated exceptional dedication to his work. Beginning in 1958 as lecturer in University of Ibadan, he rose through the ranks to become professor of Geography in 1965. He was only 34. He retired at a young age of 50 in 1982 from the University of Ibadan. He, with Professor Ojetunji Aboyade congealed the “enormous intellectual property” between them into an organisation with capacity to create solutions to national development problems unportioned by disciplines, ideologies or burdened by the bureaucratic and policy challenges of the University or Federal government regulatory framework.

He kept winning awards and honorary degrees in recognition of his enormous contributions to both scholarship and practice in the national development field. He was awarded the “Nobel Prize in Geography” in 2017 at the age of 86. The University of Ibadan shared in the radiance of the glory of Professor Mabogunje’s international academic and intellectual accomplishment by conferring the Emeritus status upon him.

His academic expertise and leadership skills earned him numerous administrative roles, within and outside the confines of his university. Beyond that he served as Head of the Department of Geography, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, ‘Prof’ was Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Ogun State University from 1982 to 1991. He also served at high level in several public sector institutions including as Chairman of the National Council for Management Development (1976-79), Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian National Merit Award Endowment Fund (1989-94), and Chairman of the Presidential Technical Committee on Housing and Urban Development (2002-2004). On the global stage, Mabogunje’s service included Chairman, UNDP/UNCHS/World Bank Advisory Committee on the Urban Management Program (1993-2000).

Contributions to sustainable development and geography
Mabogunje’s work has significantly impacted sustainable development, planning, and geography. A pioneer in promoting micro-finance institutions as a means of providing access to credit for the poor, his efforts led to the establishment of community banks which, in turn, became cornerstones of micro-finance banks in Nigeria. Furthermore, his expertise was also instrumental to the development of Abuja as the Federal Capital City; he led a team of scientists to provide vital information on the ecological condition of the area.

Awards and recognition
Mabogunje’s outstanding contributions to geography and sustainable development have been recognised at home and abroad. He was awarded the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) (1980), the David Livingstone Centennial Gold Medal (1972), and the Vautrin-Lud Prize (2017) that is considered the “Nobel Prize of Geography.” He was also elected as the first African President of the International Geographical Union and as a Foreign Associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences, and Chairman, International Geographical Union (IGU) (198-84).

Legacy and impact
William James, American psychologist and philosopher said that the great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. Professor Emeritus Akin Mabogunje’s legacy extends far beyond his impressive list of achievements. His commitment to sustainable development, geography, and education has inspired generations of scholars, policymakers, and practitioners. His work continues to influence urban planning, regional development, and environmental management in Nigeria, Africa, and around the world. The 353- page Urbanisation in Nigeria (1968) that he authored remains a seminal work in its field. Professor Gideon Omuta aptly describes it as ‘an eloquently written book based on solid research on the urban structure and systems in Nigeria’.
Mabogunje remains a revered figure in the academic community, and his contributions will continue to shape the future of sustainable development and geography.

Personal and relationship impact
‘Your legacy’, said Maya Angelou, ‘is every life you have touched’. Those who knew Mabogunje personally attest to his exceptional qualities and characteristics. He was a man of great humility, kindness, and generosity. His passion for knowledge and learning was contagious, inspiring those around him to strive for excellence. It can be argued too that Mabogunje’s strong sense of justice and fairness drove his commitment to sustainable development and social equity.

Professor Emeritus Akin Mabogunje’s life and legacy serve as a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have on the world. As one who lived with purpose and with consistency, his unwavering commitment to his work and ideals teaches us to reflect on his remarkable life and achievements, and inspires us to emulate his dedication, passion, and service to humanity.

Thinker, Implementer, Mentor
Although he is no more with us, the legacy of Professor Akin Mabogunje remains influential, and a testament to his remarkable life, ideals, and work. Mabogunje’s unwavering commitment to high standards of work in his field enabled him to understand, address, and offer solutions to the complex challenges facing Nigeria and Africa. His academic excellence, research, and advocacy work in geography, urban planning, and sustainable development continue to have a lasting impact on the field enough to earn him respect and admiration from his peers and the larger intellectual community. He was indeed a giant in his field.

Besides his intellectual practical contributions, Mabogunje inspired generations of scholars, policymakers, and practitioners through his teaching, mentorship, and leadership. By sharing knowledge and transferring skill, he helped to build a robust community of scholars and practitioners in Nigeria and around the world. Besides teaching terms in universities in Britain, Sweden, and Brazil, he was, in the 1978-79 session, Melville Herskovits Distinguished Professor of African Studies in the U.S.

For Mabogunje, the ultimate purpose of knowledge is its applicability to solve real problems. In 1978, he had the opportunity to evaluate the World Bank’s Agricultural Development Program based in the Funtua District of Kaduna State. Drawing upon his observations of the British rural landscape where a combination of the role of the village community and the nature of the technology of production serve to empower farmers, leverage their productivity and improve the rural community where they live and work, he concluded that the World Bank program had very limited developmental impact.

The programme, he opined, lacked the capacity to empower the farming population through strengthening the community or cooperatives structures among them. He regarded the program as being primarily devoted to facilitating transactional activities of trading inputs, farming equipment, and sale of support services.

It was this kernel of insight that anchored in 1979, the rural development policy paper of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria. The document was subsequently christened “Opticom Strategy “.

A pilot program of “Opticom Strategy” launched at Awe in Oyo State later informed the establishment in February, 1986 of the Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) under the leadership of Air Commodore Larry Koinyan as chairman and Professor Akin Mabogunje as vice-chairman. The consistent participation and catalytic role of Professor Mabogunje is self-evident as narrated in his 2011 autobiography “A Measure of Grace”.

A notable example of Professor Akin Mabogunje’s consistency and steadfastness was his pioneering idea, concept, policy construct, plan formulation, implementation, and practice architecture for rural development in Nigeria. This groundbreaking work, which he eloquently narrated in Chapter 21 of his 2011 autobiography, “A Measure of Grace,” demonstrated his deep understanding of the complex relationships between human and environmental systems.

His observations of the British rural landscape, particularly the role of the village community and the nature of the technology of production, informed his approach to rural development in Nigeria. He recognized the importance of empowering rural communities through strengthening community or cooperative structures, rather than simply facilitating market transactional activities.

Professor Mabogunje has had a lasting impact on rural development in Nigeria.
His work influenced the establishment of the Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure, and his ideas continue to shape policies and practices in the field. His legacy serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of consistency and steadfastness in achieving lasting impact. His unwavering commitment to his ideals and his work has inspired generations of scholars, policymakers, and practitioners, and continues to shape the field of rural development in Nigeria and beyond.
To be continued.
Megbolugbe, a retired professor at Johns Hopkins University, is a former student, research assistant and friend of Professor Mabogunje. He resides in the United States of America.