The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has announced the constitution of planning committees for the celebration of the 80th birthday of its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Emeritus Professor Femi Osofisan, scheduled for June 16, 2026.
The milestone is being marked with a series of literary and cultural activities designed to honour the distinguished playwright, scholar, and cultural activist whose work has shaped modern African dramaturgy.
In a press statement jointly issued by ANA President, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, and the General Secretary, Dame Joan Oji, PhD, the association described the celebration as “a national literary moment deserving of broad institutional collaboration and intellectual reflection.”
It noted that the committees will provide leadership, coordination, and overall supervision for the successful planning and execution of the anniversary programmes in Ibadan and Abuja.
According to ANA, the two-city structure is intended to reflect Osofisan’s wide academic, theatrical, and cultural influence across Nigeria and beyond.
The Ibadan and Abuja committees will work in synergy to deliver events that capture the depth of his artistic philosophy, scholarship, and mentorship of generations of writers and dramatists.
The Ibadan event committee will be chaired by Taslim Abiola Layonu, with Rufus Kehinde serving as Vice Chairman and Wole Adedoyin as Secretary.
Other members include Phil Nwoko, Tunde Awosanmi, Freeman Okosun, and Busayo Fakunle.
The Abuja event committee will be chaired by Kyuka Lilymjok, with Ngozi Atululu-Ebulum serving as Secretary.
Members of the committee are Chukwudi Eze, Umar Yogiza Jr., Esther Adelana, and Hussain Zaguru AbdulQadir.
The central commemorative event, titled “Literary Celebration Marking the 80th Birthday of Emeritus Prof. Femi Osofisan,” will take place in June 2026 in Ibadan.
The gathering is expected to bring together writers, scholars, theatre practitioners, students, and cultural stakeholders for readings, stage performances, scholarly reflections, and tributes examining Osofisan’s enduring contributions to African theatre and critical discourse.
According to the statement, as part of the extended celebration, the September 2026 edition of the Mbari Lecture Series will be dedicated entirely to the eminent dramatist and will hold in the Federal Capital Territory.
The lecture will critically engage his dramaturgy, ideological commitments, and pioneering innovations in adapting classical forms to African socio-political realities.
ANA also disclosed that it will collaborate with the Orpheus Foundation to publish a landmark Festschrift—a scholarly volume comprising essays, reflections, and critical studies that explore Osofisan’s life, works, and intellectual legacy across disciplines and generations.
In furtherance of its commitment to nurturing emerging voices, ANA will organise the Femi Osofisan @ 80 Playwriting Workshop, designed to mentor young dramatists in the aesthetics of socially engaged theatre, experimentation, and adaptation that define the celebrant’s body of work.
Complementing the workshop, a national playwriting competition will invite new dramatic works inspired by themes central to Osofisan’s oeuvre, including justice, resistance, community, and cultural memory.
Winning entries will receive national recognition, with possibilities for staging and publication.
To document the breadth of his personal and professional influence, ANA will also publish a commemorative tributes book featuring messages, memoirs, essays, and artistic reflections from colleagues, former students, collaborators, and admirers across the world—ensuring that the legacy of Emeritus Professor Femi Osofisan is preserved for future generations of scholars and artists.
