Post-Negritude conference on Osofisan calls for papers

Prof. Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan will turn 70 on June 16, 2016. And as part of activities to mark the career of this distinguished African dramatist, theatre practitioner and cultural scholar, an international conference is being planned to honour and celebrate his achievements and contributions to world theatre and scholarship. The events would hold at the Conference Centre, University of Ibadan from June 13 to 17 2016.

Osofisan’s plays have been performed in many countries, where he has also held teaching or research fellowships, including Japan, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Lesotho, China, U.S., Canada, U.K., France, South Africa. His plays are also the most produced in Nigeria. Osofisan is a founding member and Literary Editor of the first Editorial Board of The Guardian, Lagos (1983-84).

To reflect the interdisciplinary contributions of Osofisan to the academy, and his use of African performance culture to expose societal ills through drama, the conference is inviting papers by scholars exploring the work of Osofisan and drama, music, dance, gender issues, poetry and literature from a range of perspectives. Themes include, but not limited to, The Drama and Theatre of Femi Osofisan, Femi Osofisan and Performance of Poetry in Nigeria, The Culture of Adaptations and Re-readings in Nigerian Drama, African Diasporan Cultural Encounters. Also, the nature of classics including, he Classical Tradition and Influence on Nigerian Literature, Dance and Music in the Drama of Femi Osofisan, Fiction and Popular Journalism in Nigeria. On Film and Television Nollywood Arts, Management and Cultural Administration.

Deadline for Abstract is December 16, 2015. All abstracts to be sent to femiosofisan2016@gmail.com.

Conveners of the conference include Dr. Tunde Awosanmi, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan (atundah@yahoo.com); Dr. Olakunbi Olasope, Department of Classics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, (kunbiolasope@aol.co.uk); Mr Jahman Anikulapo, Artiste and Culture Advocate, Nigeria (jahmanoladejo@gmail.com); Dr. Sola Adeyemi, University of Greenwich, London, UK (femiosofisan2016@gmail.com)