ANA Continues Celebration of Prof. Femi Osofisan Through Third-Quarter Mbari Lecture Series

 ANA CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF PROF. FEMI OSOFISAN THROUGH THIRD-QUARTER MBARI LECTURE SERIES

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) will on Saturday, September 26, 2026, continue its celebration of Emeritus Professor Femi Osofisan with the third-quarter edition of the ANA Mbari Lecture Series, bringing together writers, academics, intellectuals and thought leaders to reflect on the enduring relevance of his literary and intellectual contributions.

The September edition of the quarterly intellectual gathering is themed “Through Osofisan’s Lens: Literature, Power and the Pursuit of Social Justice,” a theme that places Osofisan’s extensive body of work and engagement with society at the centre of discussions on literature, power, social responsibility and the pursuit of justice.

The lecture series, organised as part of ANA’s sustained celebration of the distinguished playwright, poet, novelist, critic and scholar, is designed to provide a platform for critical engagement with ideas that have shaped Nigerian literature and public discourse. Through the Mbari Series, ANA continues to celebrate Osofisan not only as a literary figure but also as an influential voice whose works have consistently interrogated power, inequality, injustice and the human condition.

Professor Vicky Sylvester will headline the September edition, while Professor Udenta O. Udenta will serve as host. Other distinguished participants include Dr Tunde Olusunle, Dr Olabode Onjiyi, Mr Paul Liam and Ms Esther Adelana, who will serve as discussants and contribute to the intellectual interrogation of the theme.

Professor Kyuka Lilymjok will chair the session, while Oko Owi Ocho (Afrika) will moderate the proceedings. Ngozi Alutulu-Ebelum will serve as Secretary and Co-Moderator, with ANA President, Dr Usman Oladipo Akanbi, serving as Chief Host.

The gathering is expected to explore the relationship between literary expression and social transformation, particularly the ways Osofisan’s writings have engaged questions of authority, resistance, social justice and the responsibilities of the writer in society.

For ANA, the Mbari Lecture Series represents more than a commemorative programme. It is also an avenue for sustaining serious intellectual conversations around Nigerian literature and ensuring that the ideas, creative interventions and critical traditions associated with leading figures in the literary community remain subjects of continuing study and engagement.

The third-quarter edition will hold at 11:00 a.m. prompt at the ANA National Secretariat, Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape Road, Abuja. The programme will also be accessible virtually through Google Meet, allowing writers, scholars and literary enthusiasts beyond Abuja to participate in the conversation.

The September gathering further demonstrates ANA’s commitment to using its programmes to celebrate distinguished Nigerian writers while creating platforms for reflection on the place of literature in national development, social consciousness and the advancement of a more just society.

As the Association continues its celebration of Emeritus Professor Femi Osofisan, the third-quarter Mbari Lecture Series is expected to provide another significant opportunity for the literary community to examine his enduring legacy and the continuing relevance of his ideas to contemporary Nigeria and the wider world.