ANA Oyo holds a special literary session in honour of Late Prof. Akinwunmi Isola

ANA Oyo holds a special literary session in honour of Late Prof. Akinwunmi Isola

The Oyo State Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is set to hold its monthly readings session with an evening of poetry rendition and performance in honour of Prof. Akinwunmi Isola who died recently at the age of 78.

According to statement issued by the Association’s Chairman and Secretary, Mr. Funsho Omotosho and Mr. Biola Taslim Layonu, hinted that Prof. Akinwunmi Isola was one of the major proponents of Yoruba writings. He was a novelist, playwright, dramatist and scholar of Yoruba language and culture who was at a time Patron of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Oyo State Chapter.

The reading will hold on Saturday, March 31st at ANA Oyo State Secretariat, Preboye’s World by 4PM Prompt.

Professor Akinwunmi Isola (24 December 1939 – 17 February 2018) was a Nigerian playwright, actor, dramatist, culture activist and scholar. He was known for his writing in and his work in promoting the Yoruba language.

He was born in Ibadan in 1939, attended Labode Methodist School and Wesley College. He studied at the University of Ibadan, earning a B.A. in French. He earned an M.A. in Yoruba literature from the University of Lagos in 1978 before commencing academic work as a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University.

 He was appointed Professor at the same University in 1991. Isola wrote his first play, Efunsetan Aniwura, during 1961-62 while still a student at the University of Ibadan. This was followed by a novel, O Leku. In 1986, he wrote and composed the college anthem that is currently being sung in Wesley College Ibadan.

He went on to write a number of plays and novels. He broke into broadcasting, creating a production company that has turned a number of his plays into television dramas and films. Though he claims that "my target audience are Yorubas", Isola has also written in English and translated to Yoruba. 

In 2000, in recognition of his immense contributions, he was awarded the National Merit Award and the Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters. He was a visiting professor at the University of Georgia. 

Akinwunmi Isola was married and had four children.

Akinwunmi Isola died on 17 February 2018 in Ibadan, Oyo State, aged 78