When We Were Young: How Professor Saburi Biobaku Preserved Yoruba Culture and Nigeria’s Historical Identity
When We Were Young: How Professor Saburi Biobaku Preserved Yoruba Culture and Nigeria’s Historical Identity
By Lanre Gbadamosi
There are books that entertain. There are books that educate. Then there are books that preserve the soul of a people. When We Were Young, the first memoir by the late Professor Saburi Oladeni Biobaku, belongs firmly in the last category.
At first glance, the memoir appears to be a simple recollection of childhood memories. However, beneath its modest style lies one of the most important personal accounts ever written about early twentieth-century Yorubaland. It is a literary treasure that captures a society on the threshold of transformation—a generation that witnessed the gradual transition from indigenous traditions to colonial modernity, from oral instruction to formal education, and from communal living to the individualistic aspirations of a changing world.
Unlike many autobiographies that revolve around fame, political achievements or personal triumphs, Professor Biobaku invites readers into the ordinary moments that shaped extraordinary lives. His memories are not merely his own; they belong to an entire generation of Nigerians whose stories were rarely documented but whose values laid the foundation for modern society.
Born in Ago-Owu and raised within the cultural landscape of Abeokuta, Biobaku paints vivid pictures of everyday life in a Yoruba community long before Nigeria attained independence. Through his graceful storytelling, readers hear the rhythmic voice of the town crier announcing community decisions, witness the vibrant energy of local markets, and experience the warmth of extended family compounds where children were raised collectively rather than individually.
The memoir introduces a society built upon mutual responsibility. Every adult was a guardian, every elder a teacher, and every child belonged to the community. Character was moulded not only by parents but by neighbours, relatives, traditional institutions and shared moral values. Respect was earned through integrity and age, while discipline was viewed as an essential ingredient in raising responsible citizens.
Professor Biobaku recounts these experiences without nostalgia clouding his judgment. He neither exaggerates the virtues of the past nor dismisses its shortcomings. Instead, he presents an honest portrait of a people navigating life through customs, proverbs, festivals, religious beliefs and communal obligations.
One of the memoir’s greatest strengths lies in its remarkable ability to document the social fabric of Yoruba civilisation before modernisation altered its character. Readers encounter apprenticeship systems that equipped young people with practical skills, traditional methods of conflict resolution, indigenous education rooted in storytelling, and the cultural importance of family honour.
The arrival of Christian missionaries and Western education introduced an entirely new worldview. Mission schools became centres of intellectual awakening while simultaneously challenging many long-held traditions. The colonial government introduced administrative structures that gradually reshaped social relationships and governance.
Professor Biobaku belonged to what historians often describe as Nigeria’s “bridge generation”—the first generation to stand comfortably between two worlds. One foot remained firmly planted in Yoruba customs and indigenous values, while the other embraced literacy, formal education and Western scholarship.
His memoir captures the excitement, uncertainty and contradictions of that era with remarkable balance. Rather than presenting colonial education as either wholly beneficial or entirely destructive, Biobaku demonstrates how both indigenous knowledge and Western learning contributed to his intellectual development.
This balanced perspective distinguishes When We Were Young from many historical accounts. It neither glorifies colonialism nor romanticises pre-colonial society. Instead, it allows readers to understand history through lived experience rather than ideological interpretation.
For historians, anthropologists and students of African studies, the memoir serves as an invaluable primary source on the social history of Yorubaland during the early twentieth century. It provides rich insight into family structures, childhood, education, religion, commerce, gender roles, traditional governance and the everyday realities of ordinary people whose experiences are often absent from conventional history books.
Yet its relevance extends far beyond academic research.
In today’s Nigeria, where rapid urbanisation, technological advancement and globalisation continue to reshape cultural identities, When We Were Young offers timely lessons about the enduring importance of community, discipline, humility and respect. It reminds younger generations that development is most meaningful when it is anchored in values rather than material success alone.
The memoir quietly challenges contemporary society to reflect on what has been gained and what may have been lost. Modern life has undoubtedly brought improved education, technological innovation and expanded opportunities, but it has also weakened many communal bonds that once defined Nigerian society. Extended family systems have become less influential, oral traditions are disappearing, and many indigenous values now compete with foreign cultural influences.
Biobaku never explicitly condemns these changes. Instead, he invites readers to contemplate them through the gentle power of memory. His writing encourages reflection rather than judgment, making the memoir both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant.
Another enduring strength of the book is its literary style. Professor Biobaku writes with uncommon humility and elegance. His language is accessible enough for young readers while remaining sophisticated enough for scholars. Every chapter flows naturally, allowing readers to experience history as though they were walking beside the young Saburi through the streets of Ago-Owu and Abeokuta.
His ability to transform ordinary childhood experiences into profound reflections on society demonstrates why he remains one of Nigeria’s most respected historians. The memoir proves that history is not confined to kings, wars or political leaders. It also lives in family compounds, village squares, classrooms, marketplaces and the memories of ordinary citizens.
Perhaps that is the greatest achievement of When We Were Young. Professor Biobaku does not merely document his childhood; he preserves the collective memory of a civilisation. Through his recollections, readers gain a deeper appreciation of the cultural foundations upon which modern Nigeria was built.
As Nigeria continues to confront questions of national identity, cultural preservation and educational reform, this memoir deserves renewed attention. It speaks not only to historians and literary enthusiasts but also to policymakers, educators, parents and young Nigerians seeking to understand the values that shaped previous generations.
The late Professor Saburi Oladeni Biobaku’s legacy extends far beyond the classrooms of the University of Lagos, where he served with distinction as Vice-Chancellor, or the many scholarly works he produced during his lifetime. Through When We Were Young, he accomplished something even more enduring: he gave future generations an authentic record of who we were before history became headlines.
In preserving the voices, customs, struggles and aspirations of his youth, Professor Biobaku ensured that an important chapter of Nigeria’s story would never be forgotten.
For anyone passionate about Nigerian history, Yoruba civilisation, African literature or exceptional memoir writing, When We Were Young is far more than a book. It is an enduring archive of memory, identity and cultural wisdom. It reminds us that before Nigeria became a modern nation, it was a community of storytellers, custodians of tradition and people united by shared values.
That is why this remarkable memoir remains as relevant today as when it was first published. It is not simply the story of Professor Saburi Biobaku. It is, in many ways, the story of Nigeria itself.
