Renowned literary scholar Jeyifo dies at 80
One of Nigeria’s renowned poets and playwrights, Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo, has died. He was 80. A statement by the President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Prof. Andrew
One of Nigeria’s renowned poets and playwrights, Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo, has died.
He was 80.
A statement by the President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Prof. Andrew Haruna, said Jeyifo, fondly called BJ, died yesterday, barely a month after he turned 80.
Until his passing, Jeyifo had a distinguished career at the then University of Ife (Unife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU) and later held dual appointments at Cornell and Harvard Universities.
Last month, an international event was held in his honour at the MUSON Centre, Lagos, to mark his 80th birthday on January 5.
His award-winning book on the 1986 Nobel laureate, titled: Wole Soyinka: Politics, Poetics and Postcolonialism (Cambridge University Press, 2004), is regarded as the most comprehensive study of the author’s work, and the most by a single-author study of any writer in African postcolonial studies.
In a tribute, UK-based scholar, Sola Adeyemi, described the late Jeyifo as one of the most formidable and beloved figures in African letters.
Adeyemi described BJ as “a critic of rare moral clarity, a teacher whose influence spanned continents, a playwright and poet whose creative imagination was inseparable from his political commitments, and a family man whose gentleness at home stood in striking, endearing contrast to the intellectual ferocity he could summon in debate”.
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He added: “His (Jeyifo’s) passing marks the end of an era in Nigerian and African literary scholarship, for he belonged to that generation of thinkers who believed that literature mattered not merely as an aesthetic pursuit but as a vital instrument for understanding, challenging and transforming society.
“In a career that stretched across more than five decades, he helped shape the intellectual architecture of modern African criticism, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to animate classrooms, theatres and scholarly conversations for years to come.”
Adeyemi also noted that Jeyifo’s passing has left a void that cannot easily be filled, but his influence endures in the books he wrote, while the ideas he championed, the people he mentored, and the cultural traditions he helped illuminate.
“He lived a life of purpose, conviction and compassion, and the world of African letters is richer for his having been part of it.
“In mourning his death, we also celebrate his life: a life dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, the defence of justice, the nurturing of young minds, and the creation of art that speaks to the deepest truths of human experience. His voice may be silent, but his words remain, resonant and alive, guiding us towards a more thoughtful, more just and more humane future,” Adeyemi added.
Born in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Jeyifo earned a First-Class Bachelor’s in English from the University of Ibadan (UI) in 1970, followed by a Master’s from the same institution in 1973, and a doctorate from New York University in 1975.
He also held a DLitt (honoris causa) from OAU, where he taught for several years
Jeyifo was one of the pioneering organisers of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), where he built solidarities that would allow ASUU to withstand decades of political pressure.
Some of his published works include The Truthful Lie: Essays In A Sociology of African Drama (1985); Wole Soyinka: Politics, Poetics, and Postcolonialism (2004); Things Fall Apart, Things Fall Together (2010); Against the Predators’ Republic: Political and Cultural Journalism, 2007–2013 (2016); and Apostrophes: To Friendship, Socialism and Democracy (2021).
Despite his health challenge, Jeyifo continued to write as he maintained a column in The Nation on Sunday.
The renowned writer is survived by his family and children – Okunola Bamidele, Olalekan (Lek) Babajide, and Ruth Ayoka.
Also, many Nigerians have told The Nation their fond memories of the late literary icon.
The Executive Director of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), Motunrayo Alaka, described Jeyifo as a scholar whose work shaped how we read African literature, interrogate power, and understand culture.
“Jeyifo’s scholarship on the works of our Grand Patron, Prof. Wole Soyinka, remains foundational, but perhaps even more enduring is his insistence that knowledge must always be questioned: who produces it, who benefits from it, and who is left out.
“Prof. Jeyifo reminds us that the work of truth, critique, service, humility, community building and ethical engagement is never finished.”
A professor of Postcolonial Studies at the University of Cambridge, Priyamvada Gopal, recalled discussions with Jeyifo on democracy in India, Pakistan, and Nigeria.
He stressed his insistence on reading political texts within their social and historical contexts.
A poet, Ogaga Ifowodo, said the late Jeyifo’s mentorship extended beyond the classroom, recalling how he supported his academic journey, including writing letters of recommendation for further studies.
A school proprietor, Bisi Anyadike, noted that Jeyifo’s lectures shaped her understanding of African literature and history.
She said it also influenced her decision to remain in Nigeria, pursue teaching, and later establish a school.
Publisher and cultural activist, Yemi Ogunbiyi, traced Jeyifo’s early life and intellectual formation.
He said they first met in 1961 and bonded over a shared love for reading.
Ogunbiyi described the late Jeyifo as intellectually rebellious, adding that his formative years were shaped by personal loss, including the death of a brother due to a genetic condition, and his own survival of a rare blood disorder.
The chairman of Tanus Books said the late scholar’s influence extended beyond his generation, inspiring many to pursue academic careers.
He also highlighted Jeyifo’s role in advancing university autonomy in Nigeria.
