By Felix Khanoba
The Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, will chair the fourth annual colloquium of the Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, in honour of renowned Nigerian literary scholar, playwright and poet, Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi.
The event, scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, 2026, will take place at the university’s Multi-Purpose Hall, Felele Campus, Lokoja, as 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 begin at noon and feature discussions on the theme, “Creativity as Criticism in Olu Obafemi’s Works.”
The programme will examine how literary creativity serves as a tool for interpreting society, challenging established ideas and promoting social transformation.
The event will be held in a hybrid format to accommodate both physical and virtual participation.
Obafemi, a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit, is widely recognised for his contributions to Nigerian literature, theatre, creative writing and literary criticism.
The annual colloquium was established to sustain intellectual engagement with his works and examine their continuing relevance to scholarship, artistic expression and society.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, described the initiative as a lasting platform for celebrating the achievements and intellectual legacy of the emeritus professor.
Ibileye said the event was particularly significant to him because of Obafemi’s influence as a mentor and an exemplar of intellectual and ethical commitment.
He recalled that the colloquium began in 2023 under his predecessor, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, who believed that a scholar of Obafemi’s stature deserved more than ceremonial recognition.
According to him, the initiative was designed to establish a sustained intellectual programme through which scholars could examine the honouree’s ideas, creative accomplishments and enduring contributions.
The second and third editions, held in 2024 and 2025 respectively, further strengthened the gathering as an annual platform for academic and literary discourse.
Ibileye stressed that the significance of the colloquium extends beyond his personal relationship with Obafemi, noting that it provides an opportunity to engage with broader questions surrounding artistic responsibility, education, power, justice, cultural identity and shared humanity.
Explaining the theme for this year’s edition, the vice-chancellor said it would encourage scholars to explore creativity beyond the production of artistic works, particularly its role in critically examining social realities.
He noted that literature could interpret human experiences, expose societal contradictions, challenge prevailing assumptions and create opportunities for change through imaginative expression.
The colloquium will feature presentations by scholars from Nigerian and international institutions, including 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, is expected to attend as the 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 event will also attract leading figures in Nigeria’s literary and academic communities, including the President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Professor Andrew Haruna, and its Vice-President, Professor Sunday Enessi Ododo.
Others are the 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.
Academics, writers, literary scholars, students, university officials and other distinguished guests are expected to participate in the gathering, which seeks to celebrate Obafemi’s decades of contributions to creative writing, literary scholarship and Nigerian theatre.
