Celebrating Osundare @ 70

As part of activities to mark the 70th birthday of internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning Nigerian poet and essayist Niyi Osundare, the Ibadan Poetry Foundation (IBPF) in collaboration with the University of Ibadan, is putting up a special poem collection in his honour.

The event is tagged, ‘Gardener of Words, Warrior of Lights: A Special Publication in Honour of Niyi Osundare’. Interested contributors are invited to send in a maximum number of three poems, including a brief bio data of not more than 150 words of original poems which, celebrate and reflect the vision and values of Niyi Osundare. They are to send the email to ibadanpoetryfoundation@gmail.com, and copy a.rajioyelade@ui.edu.ng. The deadline for submission is October 10, 2016.

Osundare who is currently a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of New Orleans, U.S., and Honorary Professor-at-Large, University of Ibadan, was born on March 12, 1947.

He attended University of Ibadan, University of Leeds and York University. Osundare is one of the most celebrated Nigerian poets today, serving as poetry mentor, judge and motivator to individuals, institutions, literary groups and organisations all over the world.

He taught for many years at University of Ibadan, where he served as Head, Department of English from 1993 to 1997.