Nigeria's literary and theatrical communities are buzzing with excitement this June as they prepare to honour one of Africa's most venerable cultural figures, Professor Femi Osofisan, on his 80th birthday. Born at Erunwon on June 16, 1946, Osofisan, also known as Okinba Launko, attended Government College, Ibadan for his secondary education before proceeding to the University of Ibadan. After a year abroad in Dakar, Senegal, he earned an Honours degree in French in 1966. Eight years later, following an abortive postgraduate study in Paris, he returned to Ibadan to obtain his PhD in 1974, subsequently joining the faculty as an Assistant Lecturer. He rose to the rank of Professor in 1985 and was named Emeritus Professor upon retirement in 2014.
Osofisan has published over 40 plays, five novellas, six volumes of poetry, and the acclaimed biography of J.P. Clark titled 'J.P. Clark: A Voyage.' The landmark birthday anniversary of this distinguished playwright, critic, poet, and public intellectual—whose work has shaped generations of artists, scholars, and audiences worldwide—will be commemorated with a rich programme of activities, including performances, screenings, and conversations in Lagos (June 11–15, 2026) and Ibadan (June 17–18, 2026).
A national tribute to a cultural luminary brings together theatre practitioners, filmmakers, academics, students, and admirers to honour a writer whose work has consistently interrogated power, history, justice, and the human condition. The events offer a rare opportunity to revisit Osofisan's dramatic oeuvre across stage and screen while engaging in critical dialogue about his enduring impact.
Lagos Celebrations
The Lagos celebrations will begin with a three-day stage production of Osofisan's acclaimed play 'Yungba Yungba and the Dance Contest' from June 11 to 13. Directed by Bunmi Adedina, the production will run daily at 2:00pm, with a Command Performance at 1:00pm on June 11 at the Department of Theatre Arts, Lagos State University of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos. Other productions being planned include 'No More the Wasted Breed,' directed by Segun Adefila, and 'The Engagement' by Shola Adenugba.
On June 14, events move to the JRandle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan, Lagos, starting with a talk by dramatist Ben Omowafola Tomoloju titled 'The Femi Osofisan I Know' at 3:00pm. This will be followed by the unveiling of '100 Songs of Femi Osofisan,' produced by Semoore Badejo for Concrete Studios. A roundtable on 'Femi Osofisan's Drama and the Deconstruction of the Nigerian Postcolonial State' featuring scholars, practitioners, and admirers will take place at 4:00pm. Speakers include filmmaker and culture advocate BabaAgba Tunde Kelani; theatre and culture scholar Professor Mabel Evwierhoma of the University of Abuja; culture and media scholar Professor Akin Adesokan of Indiana University, Bloomington, USA; writer and literary scholar Professor Razinat Mohammed of the University of Abuja; theatre and media scholar Dr. Onyekaba Cornel-Best of the University of Lagos; theatre practitioner and scholar Professor Ifure Ufford-Azorbo of the University of Uyo; and theatre director and former President of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Israel Eboh. The session will be moderated by culture curator and communicator Jahman Anikulapo. Guests will enjoy a screening of 'Maami,' adapted for film by Kelani from Osofisan's original work, at 6:00pm.
The Lagos programme concludes on June 15 with a second roundtable at 4:00pm on the theme 'Interpreting Femi Osofisan for the Stage.' Speakers include Performance and Visual Arts Studies Scholar Professor Grace Adinku of Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; theatre practitioner and CEO of Zmirage Multimedia Company Dr. Teju Kareem; theatre practitioner and teacher Dr. Toyin Ogundeji of Obafemi Awolowo University; theatre teacher and culture scholar Professor Rasheedat Liman; veteran actress and culture entrepreneur Mrs. Joke Silva (Jacobs); theatre practitioner and Chairman of the Guild of Nigerian Dancers (GOND) Segun Adefila; and theatre director and President of NANTAP Makinde Adeniran. The session will be moderated by theatre teacher, scholar, and President of the Society of Nigerian Theatre Artists (SONTA) Professor Tunji Azeez. The roundtable will be followed by a screening of 'Cordelia,' an adaptation of Osofisan's novella of the same title by BabaAgba Tunde Kelani, at 6:00pm.
Other performances being contemplated include 'No More the Wasted Breed' as adapted and directed by Adefila for the Crown Troupe of Africa, and 'The Engagement' directed by Adenugba for the Lagos Live Theatre. The talk and roundtables will also be accessible via Zoom; audiences may register using the link: https://bit.ly/3PLZrN6.
Ibadan Celebrations
The celebrations continue at the Staff Club, University of Ibadan, beginning on June 17 with a recorded presentation of 'Yungba Yungba and the Dance Contest' as performed at the University of Ghana, Legon, directed by Adinku. The screening starts at 2:00pm and is followed by a question and answer session. The Ibadan programme concludes on June 18 with a recorded performance of 'Farewell to a Cannibal Rage,' staged at Texas A&M University and directed by Adinku. The screening begins at 2:00pm, followed by a roundtable session and tributes.
Awards and Honours
Former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), PEN-Nigeria, and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Osofisan has received numerous fellowships and awards, including the French National Order of Merit Award (1991), the University of Ibadan Faculty of Arts Distinguished Alumnus Award (2001), the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award for the Humanities (2004), and the prestigious Fonlon-Nichols Award (2005). In 2006, he became a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters. In 2016, he was the first African to be honoured with the Thalia Prize of the International Association of Theatre Critics, highlighting his work in helping critics around the globe understand new ways of seeing and appreciating the performing arts worldwide.
The celebrations enjoy the partnerships and technical support of JRandle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History Lagos; University of Ibadan; Lagos State University of Education; Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; University of East Anglia, UK; Mainframe Productions; Ibadan Literary Society; Concrete Studios; and Friends of Femi Osofisan.
