Ekpo Okpo Eyo (8 July 1931 – 28 May 2011) was a Nigerian scholar mostly known for his work on archeology of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. He worked at the interface of archeology, anthropology, and art history, and he was actively involved in and many years presiding the federal and national agencies of antiquities and museums in Nigeria. He has been described as 'a doyen and an institution in Nigerian culture' and a 'giant pillar ..of Nigeria's museums'.

Biography

Originating from

Cross River State ) , image_map = Nigeria - Cross River.svg , map_alt = , map_caption = Location of Cross River State in Nigeria , coordinates = , coor_pinpoint ...

and after relocation to

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

, Eyo encountered Surveyor of Antiquities in Nigeria, Kenneth Murray, who encouraged him to pursue studies abroad: Eyo studied archeology and anthropology at Cambridge University (BA) and archeology at University of London (MA). After return to Nigeria, he obtained a PhD at

University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 19 ...

. From 1968 to 1979, Eyo was director of the Federal Department of Antiquities, and subsequently, until 1986, director general of the newly created

National Commission for Museums and Monuments The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), also referred to as National Museum of Nigeria was Founded in 1979 by the Federal Government of Nigeria with decree 77 of 1979 to be in charge of the collection, documentation, conservatio ...

. In these positions, he oversaw the evolution of archeological activity in Nigeria, which lead to complete reevaluation of prehistoric cultures such as Nok, Owo, or Ife. He then moved to the

University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...

, where he was professor of African arts and archeology. In the early 1980s, Eyo organized an international exhibition on 'Treasures of Ancient Nigeria', showcasing for the first time numerous highlight artifacts of Nigerian archeology to an American and European audience, which was shown in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

, New York,

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

, Calgary,

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, and

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. He was President of the

PanAfrican Archaeological Association The PanAfrican Archaeological Association (PAA) is a pan-African professional organisation for archaeologists, geologists and palaeoanthropologists. History The association was founded by Louis Leakey and its first congress was held in Nairo ...

from 1983 to 1995.

Honors

* 1980 Fellow of

International Council of Museums The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to museums, maintaining formal relations with UNESCO and having a consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Founded in 1946, I ...

(ICOM) * 1980 Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), order of merit of Federal Republic of Nigeria * 2004 ACASA Leadership Award of the Arts Council of the

African Studies Association The African Studies Association (ASA) is a US-based association of scholars, students, practitioners, and institutions with an interest in the continent of Africa. Founded in 1957, the ASA is the leading organization of African Studies in North ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eyo, Ekpo 20th-century Nigerian people Historians of African art University of Maryland, College Park faculty 1931 births 2011 deaths Alumni of the University of Cambridge Alumni of the University of London University of Ibadan alumni Nigerian expatriate academics in the United States Nigerian archaeologists