The Chairman of Council at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Professor Siyan Oyeweso, has extended heartfelt congratulations to three distinguished alumni of the institution who have been elected as Fellows of the prestigious Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL).
The honorees Professor Gbemisola Aderemi Adeoti, Professor Akinwumi Ogundiran, and Dr. Lasisi Olagunju were recognized for their outstanding contributions to scholarship, literature, and cultural thought, joining the ranks of Nigeria’s most respected humanities scholars.
Professor Adeoti, a renowned literary scholar, dramatist, and poet, was elected as a Regular Fellow. Known for his powerful critique of postcolonial politics and culture, Adeoti holds a BA and MA from OAU and a PhD from the University of Ibadan.
He has served as Director of OAU’s Institute of Cultural Studies and Dean of the Faculty of Arts. His poetry collections Naked Soles and Stoning the Wind are widely celebrated, and he remains one of the country’s most influential literary voices.
Professor Akinwumi Ogundiran was elected as an Overseas Fellow, in recognition of his groundbreaking work in archaeology and African history.
A First-Class graduate of OAU, Ogundiran earned his Ph.D. at Boston University and currently holds a prestigious appointment as Cardiss Collins Professor at Northwestern University, USA. His recent work, The Yoruba: A New History, has won multiple international awards. He was also recently elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Lasisi Olagunju, a distinguished journalist, political communicator, and columnist, was elected as an Honorary Fellow. A First-Class graduate of English from OAU and holder of advanced degrees in Communication Arts, Political Communication, and Law, Olagunju is best known for his fearless Monday Lines column in the Saturday Tribune. His sharp, culturally grounded analyses have earned him national recognition, including multiple Diamond Awards for Media Excellence and the Nigeria Media Merit Award.
In his congratulatory message, Professor Oyeweso described the trio as “worthy ambassadors of Great Ifẹ” whose intellectual and professional achievements exemplify the university’s tradition of excellence and national service.
“It is my profound honour and privilege to celebrate these sons of Obafemi Awolowo University,” he stated. “Their election into the Nigerian Academy of Letters affirms their lifelong commitment to knowledge, creativity, and truth. They inspire generations of scholars and embody the values we uphold at OAU.
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