The history of nursing in Nigeria is often told through institutions, regulations, and post-independence reforms. Yet long before Nigeria established a Nursing Council or formalised local nurse training, one Nigerian woman had already entered the profession under modern regulatory standards.
That woman was Princess Omo-Oba Adenrele Ademola — recognised today as the first known Nigerian registered nurse in modern times.
Her story sits at the intersection of royalty, colonial history, international education, and professional nursing. It is a story that has remained largely overlooked, despite its significance to Nigerian healthcare history.
Nursing in Nigeria Before Regulation
In the early twentieth century, healthcare in Nigeria operated largely under colonial administration and missionary influence. While Nigerians received care in hospitals and mission clinics, very few were recognised as formally trained healthcare professionals within the Western medical system.
Nursing, in particular, was dominated by expatriates.
Local participation existed, but without structured training, formal registration, or professional recognition.
At this time:
- Nigeria had no Nursing Council
- There was no standardised nurse education framework
- Professional registration for nurses was obtained abroad, not locally
It was into this environment that Princess Adenrele Ademola emerged.
Royal Lineage and Early Life
Princess Omo-Oba Adenrele Ademola was born into one of the most influential royal families in colonial-era southwestern Nigeria.
Her father was Oba Sir Ladapo Ademola II, the Alake of Abeokuta and ruler of Egbaland. His reign placed him among the most powerful traditional leaders of his time, with strong political and administrative links to the British colonial government.
This mattered greatly in the early 1900s.
International travel, overseas education, and professional training in Britain were financially and socially inaccessible to most Nigerians. Royal households such as the Ademola family, however, operated within global networks that made such opportunities possible.
Travelling Abroad in the 1930s: A Rare Privilege
In the 1930s, travelling from Nigeria to Britain was neither quick nor easy. The journey took weeks by sea, required substantial financial resources, and demanded confidence to navigate unfamiliar cultural and racial environments.
Princess Adenrele Ademola was able to make this journey because of:
- Her family’s political standing
- Established links with British institutions
- A strong emphasis on Western education within the royal household
This access enabled her to pursue professional nurse training at a time when such a path was closed to most Nigerian women.
Training at Guy’s Hospital, London
In Britain, Adenrele Ademola trained at Guy’s Hospital, one of the most prestigious teaching hospitals of the era.
Nursing training in pre-war Britain was:
- Highly structured
- Strictly regulated
- Academically and clinically demanding
Nurses were expected to demonstrate discipline, competence, and professional conduct at all times.
As a Nigerian woman in a system shaped by racial and social hierarchy, her success was far from guaranteed.
Yet she persevered.
1941: A Defining Moment in Nigerian Nursing History
In 1941, Princess Adenrele Ademola qualified and became a registered nurse in the United Kingdom.
This moment is historically critical.
At that time:
- Nigeria had no Nursing Council (established later in 1947)
- Local nurse training programmes were not yet formalised
- There were no Nigerian registered nurses trained within Nigeria
By qualifying under British regulatory standards, she became the first known Nigerian to formally enter the nursing profession in the modern sense.
Her achievement was not symbolic. It was documented, regulated, and professionally recognised.
A Family Legacy of National Service
The Ademola family’s influence extended beyond nursing.
Her brother, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, later became Chief Justice of Nigeria, serving from 1958 to 1972 and playing a foundational role in shaping the country’s judiciary.
That tradition of public service continued into later generations, including:
- Justice Adenekan Ademola, who served at the Court of Appeal
- Justice Adeniyi Ademola, who served at the Federal High Court
While others in the family governed and judged, Princess Adenrele Ademola chose a different frontier — professional nursing.
A Quiet Legacy and a Lost Film
After the late 1940s, the historical record becomes noticeably quiet.
Archival sources indicate that little is known about Princess Adenrele Ademola’s later life. Her name appears in official records into the late 1940s, after which documentation fades.
It is also recorded that a Colonial-era documentary film titled “Nurse Ademola” was produced about her life and work. Today, that film is considered lost, adding to the sense of historical silence surrounding her story.
Like many pioneering women of her generation, she opened doors and then stepped away from public recognition.
Why Her Story Still Matters
Princess Omo-Oba Adenrele Ademola’s story reminds us that:
- Nigerian nursing history did not begin with regulation alone
- Professional pioneers existed before systems were built
- Women played foundational roles that were often under-documented
Her legacy is not found in monuments or institutions bearing her name, but in the profession she helped make possible.
Every Nigerian nurse practising today stands, knowingly or not, on the path she first walked.
