On the University of Lagos campus at Akoka, certain names do more than identify buildings. They carry memory, linking generations of students to figures who shaped Nigeria’s institutions in their formative years. One such name is Chief Samuel Jereton Mariere, remembered by the University of Lagos as its first Chancellor and preserved in campus life through Mariere Hall, a residence that has remained part of student experience for decades.
Mariere Hall was built in 1974 and named after the late Chief Samuel Jereton Mariere, reflecting both his public standing and the university’s decision to anchor remembrance in a living student space. Rather than confining his legacy to portraits or plaques, UNILAG embedded his name in the everyday rhythm of campus life, where thousands of students would encounter it not as history alone, but as part of their own university story.
Roots in Evwreni and Urhobo identity
Chief Samuel Jereton Mariere was from Evwreni, an Urhobo community in what is today Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. This specific origin matters, not simply as a geographical detail, but as the foundation of his social identity. Evwreni sits within the wider Ughelli axis, an area known for producing influential voices in education, politics, and cultural life.
During the early twentieth century, Urhobo communities were actively engaged in debates around education, self representation, and political participation. Leaders emerging from these communities often carried with them a strong sense of local responsibility alongside wider ambition. Mariere’s life followed that pattern, grounded in community identity while moving steadily into regional and national public life.
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The Mid Western Region and a defining public role
Mariere’s public career became nationally visible with the creation of the Mid Western Region in 1963. The new region emerged from parts of the former Western Region after a plebiscite, marking a major moment in Nigeria’s constitutional development and addressing long standing demands for regional self determination among minority groups.
Within this new political arrangement, Mariere served as Governor of the Mid Western Region from 1964 until January 1966. In the First Republic structure, the Governor functioned as the constitutional head of the region, while executive authority was exercised by an elected Premier. This position placed Mariere at the centre of regional administration during a critical phase in Nigeria’s early post independence governance.
His tenure coincided with a period of optimism and political experimentation, as regions sought to define their identities and administrative capacities within the federal framework. The abrupt end of the First Republic in January 1966 closed that chapter of regional governance, but Mariere’s role during those years remained part of the Mid Western narrative that later evolved into Bendel State and, eventually, Edo and Delta States.
Traditional titles and social standing
Beyond formal office, Mariere was also a titled chief, recognised through traditional honours that reflected his standing within multiple communities. These titles were not symbolic alone. In mid twentieth century Nigeria, traditional authority continued to play a meaningful role alongside modern political structures, offering legitimacy, continuity, and social cohesion.
Mariere’s ability to navigate both traditional leadership and modern governance placed him among a generation of leaders who bridged inherited systems and emerging national institutions. His career illustrates how public authority in that era was often shaped by respect earned at both community and state levels.
First Chancellor of the University of Lagos
The University of Lagos was established in 1962 as part of Nigeria’s push to expand higher education and train professionals for a newly independent nation. From its earliest years, the university adopted the tradition of appointing a Chancellor as its ceremonial head, a figure associated with convocations, formal ceremonies, and institutional prestige.
Chief Samuel Jereton Mariere was appointed as the first Chancellor of the University of Lagos. This position placed him at the beginning of UNILAG’s ceremonial history, linking the institution to the broader public life of the country. His chancellorship reflected the university’s early effort to associate itself with nationally recognised figures whose careers embodied service and leadership.
Mariere Hall and a living legacy
Mariere Hall remains one of the most tangible expressions of Mariere’s connection to the University of Lagos. Built in 1974, the hostel has continued to serve generations of students and has undergone upgrades to meet changing standards of student accommodation.
Unlike static memorials, a hall of residence is lived in. It becomes a space of daily routines, friendships, debates, and memories. Through Mariere Hall, the university ensured that Mariere’s name would remain part of campus life, not as distant history, but as a familiar presence encountered by students year after year.
The continued maintenance and renovation of the hostel underline the enduring place of Mariere’s name within the institutional fabric of UNILAG, long after the era in which he lived and served.
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A legacy shaped by place, service, and institution
Chief Samuel Jereton Mariere’s life reflects a trajectory that moved from a specific Urhobo community into regional leadership and then into the ceremonial life of one of Nigeria’s leading universities. His story connects Evwreni to Akoka, community identity to national institutions, and political service to educational memory.
Rather than resting on dramatic narratives, Mariere’s legacy is defined by documented roles and enduring institutional recognition. His name continues to circulate not through repetition alone, but through a space students inhabit, shaping how history remains present in everyday life.
Author’s Note
Mariere’s legacy reminds us that lasting public memory is built through institutions and lived spaces, a hometown remembered, a public role recorded, and a university that keeps a name alive by weaving it into the daily experience of its students.
References
University of Lagos Communication Unit, “Prof Ogunsola Commissions Newly Upgraded Mariere Hostel”.
Urhobo historical writings and regional political records.
