ANA Announces Landmark Events To Honour Prof. Femi Osofisan At 80

 ANA ANNOUNCES LANDMARK EVENTS TO HONOUR PROF. FEMI OSOFISAN AT 80

By ANA Media Team

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has announced a series of landmark activities to celebrate the 80th birthday of eminent dramatist and scholar Femi Osofisan, whose contributions to literature and theatre have left an enduring imprint on Nigeria, Africa, and the global cultural landscape.

The announcement was contained in a press statement issued by the General Secretary of the Association, Dame Joan Oji, PhD, who noted that the celebration is intended to recognise a lifetime devoted to creative excellence, cultural engagement, and intellectual leadership.

The playwright, who will attain the milestone age in June 2026, is widely regarded as one of the most prolific voices in African dramaturgy—an accomplished playwright, poet, novelist, critic, actor, director, songwriter, and activist. He currently serves as Chairman of ANA’s Board of Trustees, continuing decades of commitment to the growth of Nigerian literature and the nurturing of younger generations of writers.

A distinguished academic, he taught Drama for many years at the University of Ibadan, where he mentored countless theatre practitioners, scholars, and cultural workers. Beyond the classroom, he has remained actively engaged in directing plays, writing creative and critical works, and contributing to national discourse through essays and newspaper columns.

With a creative output that includes more than sixty plays, several poetry collections, novels, and scholarly essays, his works have consistently explored themes of justice, resistance, history, and communal responsibility. His early recognition included winning the first ANA Literature Award in 1983 for Morountodun and Other Plays, followed by another major award for Yungba-Yungba and the Dance Contest in 1993, while his poetry collection Minted Coins earned both Commonwealth and national honours.

Over the decades, he has received numerous distinctions, including the Nigerian National Order of Merit in the Humanities and international recognition for his role in advancing literature as a vehicle for human rights, social critique, and cultural dialogue. His works have been staged and studied across continents, affirming his place among the foremost interpreters of African realities through theatre.

His cultural leadership has also extended to public service, including his tenure as General Manager and Chief Executive of the National Theatre, Lagos and as President of PEN Nigeria, where he championed artistic freedom and professional solidarity among writers.

A founding member of the editorial board of The Guardian, he has played a defining role in shaping literary journalism in Nigeria. Many of his dramatic works creatively reinterpret classical texts within African contexts, demonstrating his innovative fusion of global traditions with indigenous histories and performance aesthetics.

To honour this extraordinary legacy, ANA has scheduled a Grand Literary Celebration to be held in Ibadan in June 2026. The event will bring together writers, scholars, theatre practitioners, students, and cultural stakeholders for readings, stage performances, and scholarly reflections examining his enduring influence on African dramaturgy and critical thought.

Further commemorative activities will include a special edition of the Mbari Lecture Series in September 2026, as well as a collaborative Festschrift to be published with the Orpheus Foundation. The celebratory year will also feature a national playwriting competition, a mentorship workshop for emerging dramatists, and a commemorative tributes volume gathering reflections from colleagues, former students, and admirers around the world.

ANA described the Osofisan @ 80 celebration as more than a birthday observance, noting that it represents a national literary milestone and an opportunity to reaffirm the transformative power of art in society. 

The Association therefore called on its members, the academic community, creative professionals, and the general public to participate actively in the programmes lined up to celebrate a towering figure whose life’s work continues to inspire critical engagement, cultural pride, and artistic excellence.