E. Latunde Odeku: the first African-American neurosurgeon trained in the United States

Abstract

The advances of the Civil Rights movement in the mid-20th century and the success of the first African-American neurosurgeons trained at the Montreal Neurological Institute have led to a number of African-Americans receiving neurosurgery training within the United States. Unfortunately, the details regarding the first African-American neurosurgeon trained in the United States, E. Latunde Odeku, have largely remained in obscurity. Born on June 29, 1927 in Lagos, Nigeria, Dr. Odeku received his M.D. from the Howard University College of Medicine in 1954. He spent the next year at the University of Michigan under the tutelage of Edgar A. Kahn, chief of neurosurgery, and was impressive enough to be offered a residency position. From 1956 to 1960, he trained under Dr. Kahn at the University of Michigan. In 1961, he returned to Howard as a member of the neurosurgery faculty, during which time he became the second African-American to be certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. Although he received multiple job offers in the United States, he chose to return to Nigeria where he worked tirelessly, providing excellent neurosurgical care and discipleship until his death in 1974. The diligence and intelligence of E. Latunde Odeku, M.D., F.A.C.S., enabled him to become the first African-American neurosurgeon trained in the United States. A truly global pioneer, his selfless service in America and Nigeria opened the door for people from each country to enhance the field of neurosurgery.