The Vice-Chancellor, Baze University, Abuja, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, will chair the fourth annual colloquium of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) in honour of renowned literary scholar, playwright and poet, Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi. 

The event, scheduled for November 11, 2026, at the university’s Multi-Purpose Hall, Felele Campus, Lokoja, will form part of activities marking the institution’s 2026 convocation ceremony.

Organised in collaboration with the Department of English and Literary Studies, the colloquium will focus on the theme, “Creativity as Criticism in Olu Obafemi’s Works,” exploring how literature and artistic expression can interrogate society, challenge established assumptions and inspire change.

The programme, which begins at noon, will be held in a hybrid format to accommodate both physical and virtual participation.

Obafemi, a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit, has made significant contributions to Nigerian literature, theatre, creative writing and literary criticism.

The Vice-Chancellor of FUL, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, described the colloquium as a sustained intellectual platform for celebrating the scholar’s contributions and examining the continuing relevance of his ideas.

Ibileye said the initiative was conceived in 2023 under his predecessor, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, to move beyond ceremonial tributes and establish a tradition of critical engagement with Obafemi’s scholarship, creative works and intellectual legacy.

He noted that the second and third editions, held in 2024 and 2025, had strengthened the colloquium’s position as an annual gathering for literary scholars and academics.

According to him, the significance of the event extends beyond his personal relationship with Obafemi, offering a platform for conversations about artistic responsibility, education, power, justice, cultural identity and shared humanity.

Ibileye explained that this year’s theme would examine creativity not merely as the production of artistic works but as a critical tool for interpreting social experiences, exposing contradictions and exploring possibilities for societal transformation.

Expected paper presenters include Professor S. T. Babatunde of the University of Ilorin; Professor Sola Adeyemi of the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom; Professor Ofure Aito of FUL; and Dr Funke Aliyu of the University of Ilorin.

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, will attend as 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 gathering is also expected to attract 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.

The colloquium is expected to bring together academics, writers, literary scholars, students and other stakeholders to reflect on Obafemi’s enduring contributions to Nigerian literature, theatre and intellectual life.