Bandele Omoniyi (6 November 1884 – 1913) was a Nigerian

nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...

who is best known for his book '' A Defence of the Ethiopian Movement'' (1908), which urged for political reforms in the colonies, warning that otherwise a revolution in Africa might end British rule. According to

Hakim Adi Hakim Adi is a British historian and scholar who specializes in African affairs. He is the first African-British historian to become a professor of history in the UK. He has written widely on Pan-Africanism and the modern political history of A ...

, he is one of the earliest examples of the politically active West African student in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

Biography

Bandele Omoniyi was born in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

, in present-day Nigeria, and his parents sold their land to finance his studies in Britain, where Omoniyi first went in 1905. Enrolling at

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...

in 1906 to study law, he eventually gave up his studies as he became increasingly involved in political activities, taking up anti-imperial journalism in socialist, Scottish and Nigerian publications. He wrote to various British politicians, including the Prime Minister,

Henry Campbell-Bannerman Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (né Campbell; 7 September 183622 April 1908) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. He served as the prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 190 ...

, and the future Labour Party leader

Ramsay MacDonald James Ramsay MacDonald (; 12 October 18669 November 1937) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first who belonged to the Labour Party, leading minority Labour governments for nine months in 1924 ...

, demanding representation for Africans in the colonies. In 1907 Omoniyi criticised colonial rule in a series of letters to the '' Edinburgh Magazine''. He also wrote articles for the West African press, and in 1908 published his major work, ''A Defence of the Ethiopian Movement'', in Edinburgh, dedicating it "to The Right Honourable and Honourable Members of the British Parliament".Hakim Adi, "Omoniyi, Bandele", in David Dabydeen. John Gilmore, Cecily Jones (eds), ''The Oxford Companion to Black British History'', Oxford University Press, 2007, p. 350. Omoniyi later moved to

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

around 1910, where he was subsequently arrested for his political activities. He refused assistance from the British

Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...

. Imprisoned, he contracted

beriberi Thiamine deficiency is a medical condition of low levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1). A severe and chronic form is known as beriberi. The two main types in adults are wet beriberi and dry beriberi. Wet beriberi affects the cardiovascular system, r ...

and died, aged 28.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Omoniyi, Bandele 1884 births 1913 deaths Alumni of the University of Edinburgh 19th-century Nigerian people 20th-century Nigerian writers Nigerian expatriates in the United Kingdom Writers from Lagos Yoruba writers Prisoners and detainees of Brazil Nigerian expatriates in Brazil English-language writers from Nigeria Nigerian critics Anti-imperialism in Africa Nigerian nationalists People from colonial Nigeria Black British history Prisoners who died in Brazilian detention