Wole Soyinka Pays Tribute to Late Scholar Biodun Jeyifo, Shares Rare Memories From Ibadan Days
- Wole Soyinka has paid tribute to the late Biodun Jeyifo and recalled rare stories from their student days in Ibadan
- Soyinka also shared anecdotes capturing Jeyifo’s brilliance and eccentricity during his formative years at the University of Ibadan
- The farewell ceremony brought scholars and confraternity members together to honour Jeyifo’s contributions to African literature
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka joined members of the Pyrates Confraternity to honour the late Biodun Jeyifo, a celebrated scholar of African literature, during his farewell ceremony in Ibadan on Wednesday, March 4.
Source: Twitter
A video shared on X by OyoAffairs showed Soyinka alongside other confraternity members as they paid their respects. Jeyifo, an emeritus professor, was remembered for his remarkable intellect and vibrant personality.
While he spoke about Jeyifo’s student days at the University of Ibadan, Soyinka shared anecdotes that captured his brilliance and quirky nature.
“At the University of Ibadan, when he was graduating in English Literature, he swept all the minor subjects with clean ‘As’, but in my department, he got a ‘B’. Even with a ‘B’, BJ was obviously a first-class student,” Soyinka recalled.
He added that Jeyifo was “a bizarre man, and you dared not trust BJ with a letter. He would carry the letter from Lagos to America and then bring it back to Lagos."
“You would meet him and ask, ‘BJ, what happened to the letter?’ And he would say, ‘I took the letter to America, but I brought it back also.’ That was BJ.'”
The gathering was part of a series of events celebrating Jeyifo’s life, his contributions to African literature and the mark he left on generations of students and scholars.
Who is Biodun Jeyifo?
Biodun Jeyifo, born January 5, 1946, was a renowned Nigerian academic, critic, and public intellectual, widely recognised as a leading authority on African literature and the works of Wole Soyinka. Born and educated in Ibadan, he earned first-class honours in English from the University of Ibadan before completing his postgraduate studies at New York University, where he obtained a master’s and a PhD.
Source: Facebook
Over a career spanning Nigeria, the United States, China, and Europe, Jeyifo taught at institutions including the University of Ife, Cornell University, and Harvard University, mentoring generations of students and shaping curricula with innovative approaches to postcolonial and Marxist literary studies.
His scholarship, including the award-winning Wole Soyinka: Politics, Poetics and Postcolonialism, earned him global recognition, placing him among the most insightful voices on postcolonial thought alongside Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, and Homi Bhabha.
Beyond academia, he was a committed public intellectual and political commentator, writing extensively on culture, society, and justice in Nigerian newspapers and supporting educational initiatives for marginalised communities.
Jeyifo passed away in Ibadan at age 80, leaving behind three children and a lasting legacy as a scholar, teacher, and advocate for African letters and social conscience.
Watch video of Wole Soyinka's tribute below:
6 influential Nigerians who studied at UI
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier university, founded in 1948, has nurtured some of the nation’s most influential minds, producing graduates who have excelled locally and internationally.
From literature to governance and academia, notable alumni include Chinua Achebe, Flora Nwapa, and William Kumuyi. The university, which has shaped leaders in politics, education, religion, and the arts, leaves lasting impacts on Nigerian society and global communities.
Source: Legit.ng
