ÌbàFest hosts Niyi Osundare to ‘A Day of Poetry and Conversations’
By Editor
IBADAN Book and Arts Festival (ÌbàFest) will host the renowned poet, scholar, and public intellectual, Professor Niyi Osundare to an extraordinary literary event on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at RovingHeights Bookstore, Prime Mall, 33 Awolowo Avenue, Opposite Domino’s Pizza, Bodija, Ibadan by 2.00pm. The special event will feature live readings from Professor Osundare’s poetry collections, followed by a thought-provoking conversation with leading journalists and scholars. The event is a prelude to the inaugural Ibadan Book and Arts Festival, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, October 24–25, 2025, and sets the stage for what promises to be one of Nigeria’s most vibrant celebrations of literature, culture, and ideas.
Professor Osundare is an Emeritus Distinguished Professor of English at the University of New Orleans, US, and a celebrated poet, essayist, playwright, columnist, and public intellectual. For over five decades, he has been a courageous advocate for social justice, democracy, and the common good, using his pen and voice to amplify the struggles and hopes of ordinary people. Born to a humble farming family in Ikere-Ekiti, Nigeria, Osundare’s journey from peasant roots to global literary acclaim embodies resilience and purpose. His poetry—rich in Yoruba oral traditions and deeply humanist in outlook—has earned him numerous awards, including the prestigious Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) in 2014, among countless other local and international honours.
The event will showcase Professor Osundare’s enduring relevance as one of Africa’s foremost voices in literature and public discourse. Through live readings, critical discussions, and audience engagement, attendees will gain insight into his artistic vision, his lifelong pursuit of justice, and his reflections on Nigeria’s cultural and political landscape.
Ibadan Book and Arts Festival (ÌbàFest) is conceived as an annual celebration of African literature, creativity, and cultural dialogue. Rooted in Ibadan—a city renowned for its literary and cultural heritage—ÌbàFest brings together writers, artists, scholars, and cultural leaders to explore the power of stories and the potential of the Creative and Cultural Industries to transform education, community, and national development. The inaugural edition of the festival is scheduled to hold on Friday and Saturday, October 24–25, 2025. Contact at hello@ibadanfestival.org, www.ibadanfestival.org & @ibadanfestival.
