Writers commend new NAL Fellows: Jahman Anikulapo, Remi Raji, Gbemi Adeoti
By Editor
THE Society for Young Nigerian Writers has congratulated culture communicator Mr. Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo and Professors Aderemi Raji-Oyelade and Gbemisola Aderemi Adeoti on their recent conferment of Honorary Fellow and Regular Fellows by the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL). President of the society Mr. Wole Adedoyin made the commendation last Thursday. Also joining Mr. Anikulapo in the Honorary Fellow 2025 category are His Majesty, Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, Obi of Onitsha and Dr. Lasisi Olagunju. Their selection underscores the Academy’s growing emphasis on honouring excellence and leadership in humanistic and cultural practice beyond the walls of academia. President of NAL, Professor Sola Akinrinade expressed the academy’s commitment to celebrating contributions to humanistic thought and cultural development.
Also, the academy approved the conferment of the Awards of Excellence in Humanistic Practice of the Academy on Dr. Teju Wasee Kareem, Laolu Ogunniyi and Mr. Musa Alao Adebayo.
Mr. Anikulapo, recipient of an Honorary Fellow, is a veteran journalist and cultural advocate. A former Arts Editor and Editor of The Guardian on Sunday, Anikulapo has spent over four decades advancing Nigeria’s cultural heritage through media, performance, and advocacy. He is the founder of Culture Caucus Advocate (CCA) and Programme Chair of the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA). As Director of iREP International Documentary Film Festival and convener of the Lagos Book & Art Festival, Anikulapo has championed platforms for critical conversations in the arts. His recognition by NAL reflects his immense contributions to media, literature, and cultural development in Nigeria.
Prof. Raji-Oyelade, widely known as Remi Raji, is a globally acclaimed Nigerian poet and scholar. Currently a professor of English and African Literatures at the University of Ibadan, Raji has authored several poetry collections, including Webs of Remembrance, Lovesong for My Wasteland, and Sea of My Mind. His poems have been translated into multiple languages, and he has held fellowships in renowned institutions across Europe, Africa, and the United States.
Professors Remi Raji (left) and Gbemi Adeoti and Mr. Jahman Anikulapo
Remi Raji’s dedication to literature extends beyond writing and teaching, as he has served as president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Secretary of the Nigerian PEN Centre, and the pioneering Coordinating Secretary of PEN African Centres. His inclusion as a Fellow of NAL is a recognition of his decades-long impact on Nigerian and African literary discourse.
Prof. Adeoti, another celebrated recipient, is a scholar of literature and poet. He currently teaches at the Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Adeoti is the author of Naked Soles, a poetry collection that earned national acclaim and was at one time recommended by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for study. Adeoti has served in various academic leadership roles, including as Director of the Institute of Cultural Studies and Dean of the Faculty of Arts at OAU. His latest poetry collection, Stoning the Wind, continues to receive literary praise, cementing his legacy as one of Nigeria’s foremost academics and poets.
The fellowship conferment was announced in a memo signed by the President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Professor Sola Akinrinade, following the meeting of the College of Fellows held on July 8, 2025. The announcement included a list of distinguished scholars and cultural figures across disciplines such as linguistics, classical studies, and media. The investiture ceremony is scheduled to hold on August 14, 2025, at the University of Lagos during the academy’s 27th convocation.
The writers’ body urges all stakeholders in the literary and cultural communities to join in celebrating this remarkable milestone for Anikulapo, Raji and Adeoti. Their contributions to Nigerian scholarship and culture continue to inspire generations of writers and thinkers.
