By Mariam Abeeb
The Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, will chair the fourth annual colloquium of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) in honour of Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi, a renowned Nigerian literary scholar, playwright and poet.
The event, scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the university’s Multi-Purpose Hall, Felele Campus, Lokoja, will form part of activities marking the institution’s 2026 convocation ceremony.
Organised by the Federal University Lokoja in collaboration with its Department of English and Literary Studies, the colloquium will commence at noon and feature discussions on the theme, “Creativity as Criticism in Olu Obafemi’s Works.”
The programme will examine the relationship between artistic imagination and critical inquiry, particularly the role of literature in interrogating societal realities and inspiring change. It will be held in a hybrid format to accommodate both physical and virtual participation.
Obafemi, a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit, has made significant contributions to Nigerian literature, theatre, creative writing and literary criticism.
The Vice-Chancellor of FUL, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, described the colloquium as a sustained intellectual platform for celebrating the contributions of an outstanding scholar, writer, teacher and mentor.
Ibileye said the initiative began in 2023 under his predecessor, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, who believed that a scholar of Obafemi’s stature deserved more than ceremonial tributes.
According to him, the colloquium was conceived to promote continuous intellectual engagement with Obafemi’s ideas, creative accomplishments and enduring relevance. The second and third editions, held in 2024 and 2025, respectively, further established the programme as an annual academic and literary gathering.
The vice-chancellor noted that while his relationship with the honouree was personally significant, the colloquium’s broader importance lay in the intellectual conversations it generated around artistic responsibility, education, power, justice, cultural identity and shared humanity.
He explained that this year’s theme would encourage scholars to consider creativity not merely as the production of artistic works but also as a critical instrument for understanding and engaging with society.
Through imaginative writing, he said, literature could interpret social experiences, expose contradictions, challenge established assumptions and open up possibilities for change.
Expected paper presenters include Professor S. T. Babatunde of the University of Ilorin; Professor Sola Adeyemi of the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom; Professor Ofure Aito of the Federal University Lokoja; and Dr. Funke Aliyu of the University of Ilorin.
The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, will attend as Special Guest of Honour.
Other expected guests include the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole; Vice-Chancellor of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Professor Abdulrahman Asipita Salawu; Vice-Chancellor of Kogi State University, Kabba, Professor K. I. T. Eniola; and Vice-Chancellor of Adeleke University, Professor Solomon Ajayi Adebo.
The gathering is also expected to attract the President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Professor Andrew Haruna, and its Vice-President, Professor Sunday Enessi Ododo; President of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi; Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers Association, Dr. Wale Okediran; Chairman of the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria, Dr. Adedapo Gbadega; and Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Dr. Sonny Echono.
The event is expected to bring together university officials, academics, literary scholars, writers, students and other distinguished guests to celebrate Obafemi’s decades of contributions to creative writing, literary scholarship and the development of Nigerian theatre and literature.
Further enquiries about the programme may be directed to the Head of the Department of English and Literary Studies, Dr. Peter Okpeh; the Local Organising Committee Chairman, Dr. Abba Abba; or the committee’s Secretary, Dr. Grace Olarewaju.
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