President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended warm congratulations to renowned Nigerian literary figure Professor Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan as he celebrates his 80th birthday on June 16. In a statehouse press statement, the President described Professor Osofisan as one of the few individuals who have lived in the full expression of their talents, praising his remarkable creativity and lifelong dedication to using literature as a tool for societal transformation.
A prolific playwright, poet, novelist, teacher, scholar, emeritus professor, and newspaper columnist, Professor Osofisan has consistently addressed societal ills and advocated for moral reawakening through his extensive body of work. His acclaimed novella Maami was adapted into a Nigerian drama film produced and directed by Tunde Kelani in 2011.
Born in Erunwon, Ogun State, he attended Government College Ibadan for his secondary education before proceeding to the University of Ibadan, where he studied French, and later to the Sorbonne in Paris for graduate studies.
Professor Osofisan served in various faculty positions at the University of Ibadan, retiring as a full professor. His outstanding contributions to theatre arts earned him the prestigious Thalia Prize from the International Association of Theatre Critics in 2016. President Tinubu lauded these achievements, describing the celebrant as a literary colossus whose life exemplifies service, dedication, and hard work.
The President saluted Professor Osofisan’s enormous contributions to scholarship and the theatre arts, as well as his unwavering advocacy for national rebirth. He noted that the professor remains one of Nigeria’s finest minds, whose influence continues to inspire generations.
As Professor Osofisan marks this significant milestone, President Tinubu joined his family, friends, and the broader literary community in wishing him robust health and praying that his fountain of wisdom continues to flourish for many more years.
