Rev. Samuel Johnson

Summary

Reverend Samuel Johnson was born in Sierra Leone of Oyo ancestry in 1846 and came to Nigeria as a teacher and later Anglican priest. He gathered decades of oral and written evidence on Yoruba traditions, culture, governance, and history — compiling them into the manuscript "A History of the Yorubas from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate." The manuscript was lost by his publishers. His brother Rev. Obadiah Johnson later reassembled the notes and the book was published posthumously in 1921. It remains the foundational text of Yoruba historiography and one of the most important works of African history ever written. Samuel was also instrumental in facilitating a partial peace treaty in the Kiriji War (1886-1893).

Documented contributions

• 01Compiled "A History of the Yorubas" (written by 1897, published posthumously 1921) — foundational text of Yoruba historiography
• 02Instrumental in facilitating partial peace in the Kiriji War (1886-1893)
• 03Joined the Anglican Priesthood in 1888 after years as a teacher in Yorubaland
• 04Gathered decades of oral and written evidence — a critical act of cultural preservation
• 05His work remains the most cited source on pre-colonial Yoruba history worldwide
• 06His brother Obadiah ensured posthumous publication — described in the SlideShare as "the 2nd or 3rd Nigerian to qualify as a Doctor"