Olufemi Obafemi (born 4 April 1950) is a Nigerian poet, playwright, author, and Professor of English and Dramatic Literature at the University of Ilorin since October 1990. He is the 76th recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) award (2018). He served as the President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters between 2016 and 2018, succeeded by Francis Egbokhare.
Early Life and Education
Olu Obafemi (as he is popularly called) was born in Akutupa-Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria.
He attended elementary school in Kabba, followed by Government Secondary School, Dekina, and Titcombe College, Egbe.
- 1975: B.A. in English — Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
- 1975: M.A. in English — University of Sheffield, UK
- 1981: Ph.D. in English — University of Leeds, UK
Works
His first play, Pestle on the Mortar, was written as an undergraduate and produced in 1974 by the Kaduna Broadcasting Corporation.
Other notable works include:
- 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)
- Iyunade (2016)
Research Contributions
Obafemi pioneered an experimental tool for revolutionary aesthetics in African drama, a hallmark of second-generation Nigerian dramatists.
His work has had major influence in:
- Radical drama studies in West Africa (1980s–1990s)
- Post-feminist aesthetics in Nigerian drama
- Materialist interpretations of Nigerian society in theatre
Positions Held
- National President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA): 2001–2005
- Chairman, ANA Ilorin Branch: 1998
- Director of Research, National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS)
- Chairman, Board of Directors, National Commission for Museums and Monuments
- President, Association of Nigerian Authors
- National Chairman, Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) (as of June 2019)
- Editorial Consultant and Columnist for national newspapers
Awards
- Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) – 2018
References
Available on request or from published biographical and literary sources.