Femi Osofisan: An Afternoon With A Master Of African Literature & Theatre
By PROF. ABIODUN ADENIYI, VICE CHANCELLOR OF BAZE UNIVERSITY, ABUJA, NIGERIA
A lifetime devoted to literature & society
THE legacy of a great writer extends beyond the books published, plays performed and accolades received. It also lives in the ideas that challenge society, the questions that provoke fresh thinking and the generations inspired to pursue knowledge. Emeritus Professor Femi Osofisan represents this enduring intellectual tradition.
Recognised as one of Africa’s influential playwrights, Osofisan has built an extensive body of work as a poet, essayist, literary critic and dramatist. Over several decades, he has used literature to interrogate social injustice, question political authority, revisit historical experiences and explore the relationship between culture and collective responsibility.
His works have consequently become important contributions to African dramatic literature. They invite readers and audiences to look beyond entertainment and consider the social, historical and philosophical questions that shape human existence.
A memorable visit to Baze University
An opportunity to encounter this literary figure came last week when Osofisan visited Baze University for a Pan-African Writers engagement facilitated by Dr. Wale Okediran, Secretary General of the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).
The afternoon quickly became an engaging intellectual experience. Rather than limiting his observations to formal discussions about literature, Osofisan turned his attention to the university environment and the importance of artistic expression within academic spaces.
“Where is your Theatre Department?” he asked.
He subsequently examined the office and observed that it needed more works of art. In his view, pictures and other artistic expressions should occupy its walls.
Those remarks offered a revealing glimpse into his understanding of the arts. They suggested that an institution committed to intellectual development should also create room for imagination, creativity and aesthetic appreciation. After all, education involves more than the transmission of facts; it also requires an environment that stimulates curiosity and broadens perception.
The scholar behind the name
A particularly memorable exchange followed when his pseudonym, Òkínbà Làúnkó, came up in conversation. Osofisan corrected the pronunciation, explaining that the second name should be rendered as “Launhuko” rather than “Launko.”
Although the correction appeared minor, it carried a larger cultural significance. Names are not simply labels. They often preserve histories, linguistic traditions and layers of cultural identity. Therefore, pronouncing them accurately is part of respecting the knowledge embedded in language.
Osofisan’s intervention also illustrated an important quality of the accomplished scholar: the commitment to teaching wherever an opportunity arises. He did not need a lecture hall, a prepared manuscript or a formal audience to share knowledge. Instead, an ordinary exchange became a moment of instruction.
The stage as a platform for critical thought
That intellectual attentiveness runs through Osofisan’s literary career. His writing challenges conventional wisdom and examines the political, cultural and historical forces that influence society. Through drama, poetry and criticism, he has explored resistance, inequality, power, identity and the responsibilities individuals owe their communities.
His major works include Morountodun and Other Plays, Tegonni: An African Antigone, Once Upon Four Robbers, The Chattering and the Song, Another Raft, Esu and the Vagabond Minstrels and Women of Owu.
The list also features The Oriki of a Grasshopper and Other Plays, Yungba Yungba and the Dance Contest, Aringindin and the Nightwatchmen, Kolera Kolej, Wesoo, Hamlet! or, The Resurrection of Hamlet and Who’s Afraid of Solarin?
These titles reflect a writer who has consistently treated the theatre as a space for public questioning. By drawing on history, mythology and familiar social experiences, he creates dramatic encounters that challenge audiences to reconsider inherited beliefs and confront uncomfortable realities.
Furthermore, his creative work demonstrates the capacity of African theatre to engage local histories while addressing questions that resonate across cultures and generations.
Beyond literary achievement: The responsibility of the artist
Osofisan’s influence is not confined to his publications or the academic study of his plays. His career also represents a broader argument about the place of literature in society. Writers, in this understanding, do not merely record events or entertain audiences. They examine the human condition, challenge injustice and help communities reflect on the choices that shape their future.
That responsibility makes encounters with established intellectuals particularly valuable for students, emerging writers and academics. Their experiences offer opportunities to understand how creative discipline, critical inquiry and cultural awareness can reinforce one another.
Lessons that outlive the afternoon
The visit to Baze University offered a brief but meaningful encounter with a literary tradition that continues to influence African intellectual life. His questions about the Theatre Department, his observations about the office environment and his correction of a name all reflected the same commitment to artistic and intellectual attentiveness.
Ultimately, an afternoon with Osofisan was not simply an occasion to meet a celebrated playwright. It was an opportunity to witness how scholarship and creativity can inform even the smallest exchanges.
Books preserve a writer’s ideas, while performances bring those ideas before audiences. Yet the deepest legacies often extend further. They survive in the habits of critical thinking, the respect for cultural knowledge and the intellectual curiosity passed from one generation to another. In this sense, Osofisan’s contribution reaches beyond the stage and the printed page.
