Dr. Adriel Obar Meimban (1950-2024) Historian and Educator
Dr. Meimban was considered the foremost expert on the local history of La Union. He published La Union: The Making of A Province, 1850-1921 in 1997 and was in the process of writing a sequel that covers the years.
He also wrote an article about the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in the book Philippine Presidents
, 1898-1998 (1999) and was active in organizations promoting history and heritage such as the Philippine Historical Association and Philippine National Historical Society. An ordained minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo, he also encouraged the writing of its institutional history and contributed to its museum.
Born in Balaoan, La Union on 22 July 1950, he was an active youth leader both in his church and in the University of the Philippines. He was detained for six when Martial Law was implemented. Upon release, he focused his energies on writing history through the encouragement of Prof. Esteban A. de Ocampo, former Chairperson of what was then the National Historical Institute. Since then, he has been able to conduct research in repositories here and abroad and teach in various colleges and universities.
He will always be remembered for his openness to fellow scholars and his ever-inquisitive mind.