Renowned Nigerian playwright and scholar, Professor Femi Osofisan, has expressed profound gratitude to Nigerian writers under the auspices of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), friends, family, colleagues and admirers across the world for the overwhelming support and goodwill they extended to him during the celebration of his 80th birthday.
In an open letter titled “A Letter of Gratitude,” Osofisan apologised for the delay in acknowledging the messages, visits and gifts he received, explaining that he was overwhelmed by the scale of the celebration and the outpouring of affection.
According to him, the magnitude of the response exceeded all his expectations.
“I expected to have a good time with friends and well-wishers, but never could I have anticipated this amazing swell of good wishes or its widespread dimension,” he said.
The celebrated dramatist noted that people from different parts of Nigeria and around the world—including Lagos, London, Bayreuth, Beijing, New York, Nairobi, Berlin, Accra and Ibadan—joined in celebrating the milestone.
He said the goodwill came in various forms, including prayers, telephone calls, WhatsApp messages, physical attendance at the event, as well as generous gifts and financial donations.
Reflecting on the occasion, Osofisan recalled that one of his close friends described the event as more than a birthday celebration.
“‘Femi,’ he wrote, ‘this is NOT a Birthday party. This is a fiesta. This is a Carnival,'” Osofisan recounted.
The playwright admitted that he was left speechless after the event, saying the experience had been both humbling and exhilarating.
He described the spontaneous demonstrations of love, appreciation and respect as unforgettable, adding that receiving a congratulatory letter from the President was one of the highlights of the celebration.
“What more could a man ask for, who himself does not belong to any political party, does not come from any of our royal houses, is not affiliated to any cult or religious establishment but chooses instead to live primarily by the pragmatic dictates of the Intellect and the demands of Compassion?” he stated.
While promising to personally thank as many well-wishers as possible, Osofisan acknowledged that he might unintentionally omit some names due to the sheer number of people who reached out.
He therefore issued the collective message of appreciation as a preliminary gesture of gratitude.
“I THANK YOU ALL,” the veteran playwright concluded.
