In the annals of African intellectual history, few stories blend tragedy, scholarship, and perseverance as poignantly as that of The History of the Yorubas. This monumental work, now a classic of West African historiography, was written by Reverend Samuel Johnson, an Anglican priest and historian of Yoruba descent. He spent more than twenty years compiling oral traditions, colonial reports, and eyewitness accounts into a sweeping record of Yoruba civilisation.
By 1897, Samuel Johnson had completed his life’s work and prepared it for publication. Yet fate intervened cruelly. The manuscript was sent in 1899 through a missionary society to a London publisher and was never seen again. The editor’s own words in the published book tell the story: “A singular misfortune befell the original manuscripts.” It was a calamity that left the author heartbroken. Samuel Johnson died in 1901, never seeing his work in print.
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The Younger Brother Who Would Not Let History Die
The man who salvaged this monumental text was his younger brother, Omoba Dr Obadiah Alexander Johnson (1849–1920). Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, into a liberated African family of Yoruba origin, Obadiah grew up in a household steeped in education and faith. The Johnsons traced their ancestry to the royal house of the Oyo Kingdom, a lineage that shaped their strong sense of duty and intellectual curiosity.
Obadiah’s brilliance led him to Britain, where he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He qualified with the MRCS and LSA in 1884, earned his M.B., C.M. in 1886, and completed his M.D. in 1889 with a pioneering thesis on West African therapeutics. His achievements placed him among the earliest Nigerian doctors, second only to Nathaniel King in earning a recognised medical degree.
Upon returning to West Africa, Obadiah entered the colonial medical service — first in Sierra Leone and later in Lagos, where he was appointed Assistant Colonial Surgeon in 1889. This was a prestigious position at a time when African professionals faced systemic prejudice within colonial institutions. Despite his ability, his advancement was restricted by racial hierarchies. By July 1897, he resigned from the post, leaving the service quietly but with dignity.
Reconstructing a Lost Masterpiece
Not long after his resignation, tragedy struck the Johnson family. Samuel’s manuscript vanished in transit. The publisher later admitted it had been “misplaced,” and no trace was ever recovered. When Obadiah travelled to London in 1900 to investigate, he was met with apologies but no results. His brother’s life’s work had been swallowed by bureaucracy and neglect.
But Obadiah refused to let his brother’s achievement vanish. Drawing upon Samuel’s notes, drafts, and correspondence, he undertook the painstaking task of reconstructing the entire manuscript. It was an effort of extraordinary patience and devotion — a historian’s reconstruction guided by a doctor’s precision.
He worked for years to piece together the lost narrative. When the book finally appeared in print in 1921, it bore the title The History of the Yorubas: From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate. The title page credited Samuel Johnson as author and Dr O. Johnson as editor. The first edition was issued in London by George Routledge & Sons and simultaneously by the C.M.S. (Nigeria) Bookshops in Lagos.
The book was nearly 700 pages long and covered everything from Yoruba geography, government, and religion to dynastic wars and colonial encounters. It became the definitive early record of Yoruba civilisation, cited by historians, linguists, and anthropologists across the world.
Beyond Medicine: Civic Service and Public Life
Dr Obadiah Johnson’s contributions extended far beyond medicine and literature. In 1901, he was appointed as an unofficial member of the Lagos Legislative Council, where he served for more than a decade. He became a leading voice for improved sanitation, education, and public health in colonial Lagos.
Through his speeches and policy work, Obadiah championed the causes of civic progress and African professional advancement. His colleagues regarded him as an articulate, principled reformer whose training and intellect gave him unusual authority in both medical and political circles.
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A Family’s Dual Legacy
The story of the Johnson brothers is one of complementarity, Samuel as the scholar who wrote history and Obadiah as the guardian who preserved it. Without Obadiah’s reconstruction, the foundational record of Yoruba history might have been lost forever.
Their legacy stands as a testament to the power of education and determination in the face of colonial neglect. A century later, The History of the Yorubas continues to shape research, inspire African scholars, and affirm Yoruba cultural identity. The book’s continued publication through Cambridge University Press and other imprints speaks to its timeless value.
Author’s Note
The story of Dr Obadiah Johnson reminds us that legacy is built not only by those who create but also by those who preserve. When his brother’s life’s work was lost, Obadiah could have walked away, yet he chose to rebuild it piece by piece. His persistence turned despair into endurance, and a vanished manuscript into a timeless record of a people’s heritage.
Even in loss, there is purpose. Sometimes our greatest contribution is not what we begin, but what we refuse to let disappear. Obadiah Johnson’s devotion to his brother’s dream shows that true greatness often lies in quiet acts of faith, loyalty, and preservation.
References
The History of the Yorubas: From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate (1921), Samuel Johnson (author), Dr Obadiah Johnson (editor).
Adelola Adeloye, “Some Early Nigerian Doctors and their Contribution to Modern Medicine in West Africa,” Medical History, Vol. 18, 1974.
C.M.S. (Nigeria) Bookshops, Lagos, First Edition Records, 1921.
