ANA AUTHOR OF THE WEEK: PROF. OLU OBAFEMI, (NNOM, FANA, FNAL)_ BY ANA MEDIA TEAM.

Professor Olufemi Obafemi, NNOM, is one of Nigeria’s most distinguished literary scholars, playwrights, poets, authors, and public intellectuals.

Born on 4 April 1950 in Akutupa-Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, he has made remarkable contributions to the development of literature, theatre, cultural studies, and higher education in Nigeria and beyond. 

He is a Professor of English and Dramatic Literature at the University of Ilorin, a position he has held since October 1990, and is widely recognized as one of Africa’s foremost authorities on drama, performance studies, and literary criticism.

Professor Obafemi received his early education in Kabba before attending Government Secondary School, Dekina, and later Titcombe College, Egbe, for his secondary education. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1975. Pursuing further studies in the United Kingdom, he earned a Master’s degree in English from the University of Sheffield and subsequently obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English from the University of Leeds in 1981.

A prolific creative writer, Professor Obafemi began his literary career while still an undergraduate. His debut play, Pestle on the Mortar, was produced in 1974 and broadcast by the Kaduna Broadcasting Corporation. Over the years, he has authored numerous acclaimed plays and literary works, including Nights of a Mystical Beast (1986), The New Dawn (1986), Suicide Syndrome (1993), Naira Has No Gender (1993), The Love Twirls of Adiitu-Olodumare (2016), and Iyunade (2016). His writings are celebrated for their engagement with social justice, cultural identity, democratic values, and the complexities of contemporary African society.

As a scholar, Professor Obafemi is credited with pioneering innovative approaches to revolutionary aesthetics in African drama. His critical works have significantly shaped scholarly discourse on radical theatre, postcolonial performance, and post-feminist aesthetics in Nigeria and across Africa. His intellectual contributions have influenced generations of theatre practitioners, literary critics, and researchers, establishing him as a leading voice in African literary and dramatic studies.

Professor Obafemi has also distinguished himself through exemplary leadership and service to the literary community. He served as Chairman of the Ilorin Branch of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) in 1998 and later as National President of ANA from 2001 to 2005. He subsequently became President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (2016–2018), providing visionary leadership to Nigeria’s foremost body of humanities scholars. His extensive public service includes appointments as Director of Research at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Chairman of the Board of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, and National Chairman of the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG).

Throughout his distinguished career, Professor Obafemi has received numerous honours and recognitions. In 2018, he was awarded the prestigious Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM), Nigeria’s highest national honour for intellectual and academic achievement, becoming the 76th recipient of the award. The honour reflects his outstanding contributions to scholarship, literature, cultural development, and national service.

An accomplished academic, literary icon, administrator, and cultural advocate, Professor Olufemi Obafemi remains an enduring force in the advancement of Nigerian and African literature. His body of work, leadership in literary institutions, and commitment to intellectual excellence continue to inspire scholars, writers, and cultural practitioners across the continent and beyond.

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