Biodun Jeyifo @80: A Life Of Ideas, Justice & African Letters
The Formative Years of a Scholar
BIODUN Jeyifo was born on 5 January 1946, in a Nigeria on the cusp of independence, and his life mirrored the nation’s turbulent and promising trajectory. Educated at the University of Ibadan, Jeyifo distinguished himself early, earning a first-class degree in English — a rare achievement in an era of constrained opportunities and political unrest. It was at Ibadan that he embraced the study of Marxism, Yoruba theatre, and performance traditions, forming the foundation for a career that would intertwine literature, politics, and ethics.
The post-independence cultural surge and the radicalization of student movements in the 1960s and 1970s provided the crucible in which Jeyifo’s intellectual identity was forged. His early work already reflected a commitment to literature as a means of interrogating and reshaping society, a commitment that would characterize his entire professional life.
Advocate for Academic Freedom
Beyond academia, Jeyifo was a pioneer in institutional activism. As one of the founding organizers of ASUU, he sought to protect Nigerian universities as spaces of critical inquiry. Traveling tirelessly across the country, he convened meetings, drafted communiqués, and built solidarity among academics at considerable personal risk. His leadership helped define the ethical and intellectual basis for the union’s work, ensuring that universities remained centers of thought and resistance in a politically unstable environment.
The Critic and Cultural Theorist
Jeyifo’s contributions to literary criticism were vast and transformative. He wrote with analytical precision and a moral compass, engaging canonical figures such as Wole Soyinka and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, while amplifying lesser-known voices. His essays conveyed urgency and moral engagement: literature, he argued, was vital for societies navigating inequality, authoritarianism, and postcolonial challenges.
He was a trailblazer in African theatre studies, pioneering Marxist approaches to performance and dramatics. His work on Yoruba theatre, especially the Alarinjo and travelling theatre traditions, highlighted the political, cultural, and philosophical sophistication inherent in African performance. Jeyifo’s scholarship effectively legitimized these traditions within global academic discourse.
Creative Endeavours and Pedagogy
Jeyifo was not content to be merely an observer. His plays and poetry were imbued with the same intellectual and ethical intensity that defined his critical work. His plays explored historical memory, social justice, and political accountability, while his poetry engaged deeply with everyday human experience.
As a teacher, Jeyifo was legendary. Across continents — in Nigeria, the United States, China, and beyond — he mentored generations of students. He combined demanding intellectual rigor with unwavering support, fostering independent thinking and scholarly courage. His influence as a teacher of teachers helped shape contemporary African literary scholarship.
Political Engagement and Ethical Responsibility
Jeyifo’s scholarship was inseparable from his politics. He was a lifelong advocate for social justice, fearless in critiquing authoritarianism, and committed to grounding intellectual work in lived experience. His Marxism was deeply empathetic, emphasizing accountability and engagement with marginalized communities.
Yet, alongside his public commitments, he maintained a deeply human presence. Devoted to his family, he balanced intellectual ferocity with personal warmth, nurturing his children and offering a model of ethical, compassionate living.
Global Reach and Lasting Impact
Even in his later years, Jeyifo remained at the forefront of African literary discourse, guiding new generations of writers and scholars. Tributes from across the world have highlighted his moral courage, intellectual insight, and mentorship. His scholarship — ranging from incisive essays to foundational theatre studies — continues to inform academic and creative communities worldwide.
His legacy is simultaneously personal, institutional, and scholarly: it resides in the students he nurtured, the colleagues he supported, the writers he championed, and the institutions he helped shape. Jeyifo demonstrated that scholarship could be rigorous, ethical, and engaged; that intellectual work could illuminate society’s challenges while nurturing the next generation of thinkers.
Remembering Biodun Jeyifo
Biodun Jeyifo’s passing on 11 February 2026 leaves a void in African letters that cannot be easily filled. Yet, his life remains a testament to the enduring value of ideas, integrity, and humanism. Through his criticism, pedagogy, creative work, and personal example, he has bequeathed a legacy that will continue to shape the study of African literature, theatre, and culture for generations.
He showed that intellectual life is inseparable from moral engagement, that literature matters not only for aesthetic pleasure but for understanding and transforming society, and that scholarship can, and must, serve justice and humanity.
