Today I am going to tell you about an incredible man, Emanuel Peter John Adeniyi Thomas.
Emanuel Thomas was born in 1914 in Lagos, Nigeria, to an influential family. He attended King’s College in Lagos and then worked for his father’s business and for the Nigerian Government’s Labour Department. His sister, Stella Thomas, became the first woman magistrate in West Africa.
During the war, Thomas decided to join the Royal Air Force after reading about the Battle of Britain. He was determined to serve, so he travelled to Britain to enlist. On the 17th of September 1942, he made history by becoming the first West African to qualify as a pilot and receive a commission in the RAF.
His achievement was hugely significant because it was at a time when opportunities for Black Africans in the military were extremely limited. Thomas continued to rise through the ranks, becoming a Flying Officer in 1943 and later a Flight Lieutenant in 1944. He also supported West African students that visited London.
Tragically, his life was cut short when he died in an air crash on the 12th of January 1945. He was only around 30 years old.
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