Professor Oluwunmi Enoch Longe was a pioneer in the development of computing education in Nigeria, he was the first person to be appointed Professor of Computer Science in the country, and he founded the Department of Computer Science at the University of Ibadan, which remains one of Nigeria’s most enduring academic units in the field. His career spanned crucial decades when computing was emerging internationally as an academic discipline and when Nigeria was shaping its post‑independence educational landscape.
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Early Life and Education
Oluwunmi Enoch Longe was born on 20 March 1932 in Ikere‑Ekiti, in present‑day Ekiti State, in south western Nigeria. He pursued studies that prepared him for a career in science and technology, later travelling internationally for advanced academic work.
He earned a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Sydney in Australia, and subsequently obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Computer Science from Ohio State University in the United States in 1974. On completing his doctoral studies, he returned to Nigeria to begin his long and influential academic career.
Establishing Computing in Nigeria
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Nigeria was expanding its higher education system while seeking to build local expertise in science and technology. Computing as a formal academic discipline was just beginning to be recognised globally, and there were limited opportunities for specialised computing education within Nigeria.
In 1968, Professor Longe became the first Director of the University Computing Centre at the University of Ibadan, a position he held until 1978. In this role, he helped oversee early mainframe computing services at the university, supporting research, teaching and administrative functions.
In 1974, the University of Ibadan formally established the Department of Computer Science, with Professor Longe as its founding Head. The department was conceived to produce skilled professionals capable of meeting Nigeria’s needs in data processing, systems analysis, software development and information technology. The first cohort of undergraduate students graduated in 1976, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s academic and technological development.
Leadership, Teaching and Scholarship
As Head of the Department of Computer Science, Professor Longe was responsible for shaping the department’s curriculum, academic standards and institutional direction. His leadership helped establish one of the first formal computing programmes in Nigeria, and his work influenced similar developments in other universities across the country.
In 1978, he was appointed a full Professor of Computer Science, becoming the first Nigerian to hold that academic rank in the field. His professorship was recognised not only for his expertise in computing, but also for his leadership in building the institutional capacity of the University of Ibadan.
In 1983, Professor Longe delivered the first inaugural lecture of the Department of Computer Science, entitled Ifa Divination and Computer Science, in which he explored conceptual relationships between traditional Yoruba systems of knowledge and aspects of computational thinking. The lecture attracted attention for its intellectual breadth and for linking indigenous knowledge with modern scientific inquiry.
He continued to serve as Head of Department between 1990 and 1998, contributing to the department’s growth, academic research and expanding postgraduate opportunities. He formally retired from the University of Ibadan in 1998 after many years of teaching, research and administration.
Professional Service and Influence
Beyond his roles at the University of Ibadan, Professor Longe was deeply involved in professional bodies and the wider computing community in Nigeria. He was the first President of the Computer Association of Nigeria, an organisation that later became the Nigeria Computer Society, and he served as a key figure on committees concerned with the accreditation of computing programmes and the promotion of professional standards.
His efforts helped ensure that computing education and qualifications in Nigeria met international expectations, and that graduates were prepared to contribute to industry, government, research and education.
Impact on Nigerian Technology and Education
Professor Longe’s work had a lasting impact on the landscape of computing in Nigeria. By establishing a strong academic foundation at the University of Ibadan, he helped create a pipeline of Nigerian graduates who went on to careers in software development, telecommunications, banking, public sector computing, research and teaching.
His leadership helped to embed computing within Nigeria’s higher education system at a time when many African universities were still developing their curricula. The Department of Computer Science has since grown to include postgraduate degrees, and it continues to contribute to national and international research in information technology.
Generations of Nigerian computer scientists and technology professionals can trace their academic lineage to the programmes and structures Professor Longe helped create, and his influence is reflected in the broad growth of computing education throughout the country.
Personal and Community Life
Professor Longe was married to Professor Remi Longe, who herself was a respected academic in the field of educational management, and they had children and grandchildren. He was known for his commitment to education, mentorship, and his contributions to the intellectual life of the University of Ibadan and the broader academic community in Nigeria.
He passed away on 14 December 2020 at his residence in Ibadan at the age of 88. His death was widely mourned by academic colleagues, professional associations, government officials and former students, all of whom recognised his foundational role in Nigeria’s computing history.
Professor Oluwunmi Enoch Longe’s career represents a defining chapter in the history of computing education in Nigeria. From his early leadership of the University Computing Centre to his role as founding Head of the Department of Computer Science, he helped establish a strong academic foundation for the discipline. His vision and commitment to scholarship ensured that Nigerian students could study computing locally, contribute to technological development, and compete academically and professionally on the global stage.
His legacy endures through the many graduates, colleagues and institutions that benefitted from his pioneering work, and through the continued growth of computing as a vital field in Nigerian education and industry.
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Author’s Note
This article chronicles the life and work of Professor Oluwunmi Enoch Longe, whose pioneering efforts established formal computing education in Nigeria. His leadership at the University of Ibadan and his contributions to professional organisations helped lay the foundation for the country’s information technology sector, and his legacy continues to influence generations of students, academics and professionals.
References
- History: Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan
- Nigeria’s first Professor of Computer Science, Oluwunmi Longe, death announcement and family statement
- Nigeria Computer Society publication on the burial of Professor Longe
