Femi Osofisan

{{Short description|Nigerian writer (born 1946)}} {{Infobox writer  | name = Femi Osofisan | honorific_prefix = | honorific_suffix = | image = FemiOsofisan.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | pseudonym = Okinba Launko | birth_name = Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|06|16}} | birth_place = Erunwon, Ogun State, Nigeria | death_date =  | death_place = | resting_place = | occupation = Professor, Playwright, Poet | language = | nationality = | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = University of Ibadan; <br />Sorbonne, Paris | period = | genre =  | subject =  | movement = | notableworks =  | spouse =  | partner =  | children = | relatives = | awards = Thalia Prize | signature = | signature_alt = | years_active = | module = | website = {{official website|https://femiosofisan.wordpress.com/}} | portaldisp =  }} '''Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan''' {{Audio|LL-Q1860 (eng)-Chikeme Chizurum-Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan.wav|Listen|help=no}} (born June 16, 1946), known as '''Femi Osofisan''' or '''F.O.''', is a Nigerian writer and theatre critic, noted for his critique of societal problems and his use of African traditional performances and surrealism in some of his plays.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nweke |first=Ikechukwu |date=2024-03-28 |title=Books Written by Femi Osofisan |url=https://hqwords.com/books-written-by-femi-osofisan/ |access-date=2026-03-19 |website=HQ Words |language=en-US}}</ref> A frequent theme that his drama explore is the conflict between good and evil. He is a didactic writer whose works seek to correct his decadent society. He has written poetry under the pseudonym '''Okinba Launko'''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-25|title=As Osofisan's 'Cordelia' goes on big screen {{!}} The Nation|url=https://thenationonlineng.net/as-osofisans-cordelia-goes-on-big-screen/|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Education and career== Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan was born in the village of Erunwon,<ref>[http://www.africanbookscollective.com/authors-editors/femi-osofisan Femi Osofisan page] at African Books Collective.</ref> Ogun State, Nigeria, on June 16, 1946, to Ebenezer Olatokunbo Osofisan, a school teacher, lay reader and church organist, and Phoebe Olufunke Osofisan, a schoolteacher.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-05 |title=Femi Osofisan: Biography, Education, Career, Marriage, Net Worth, Achievements, Books, Awards and More |url=https://newswirengr.com/2022/12/05/femi-osofisan-biography-education-career-marriage-net-worth-achievements-books-awards-and-more/ |access-date=2026-03-19 |website=NewsWireNGR |language=en-US}}</ref> His last name, Ọ̀sọ́fisan, signifies that his paternal ancestors were artists and artisans who worshipped the god of beauty and ornaments, Ọ̀ṣọ́. Osofisan attended primary school at Ife and secondary school at Government College, Ibadan. He then attended the University of Ibadan (1966–69), majoring in French and as part of his degree course studying at the University of Dakar for a year, and going on to do post-graduate studies at the Sorbonne, Paris.<ref>Don Rubin, [http://www.critical-stages.org/14/prof-don-rubins-brief-introduction-to-femi-osofisan/ "A Brief Introduction to Femi Osofisan"], ''Critical Stages/Scènes Critiques'', December 2016: Issue No 14.</ref> He subsequently held faculty positions at the University of Ibadan, where he retired as full professor in 2011. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of Theatre Arts, Kwara State University, Nigeria.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-06-16 |title=Femi Osofisan at 75: Homage to a literary luminary and statesman, By Toyin Falola |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/468012-femi-osofisan-at-75-homage-to-a-literary-luminary-and-statesman-by-toyin-falola.html |access-date=2022-03-08 |language=en-GB|newspaper=Premium Times}}</ref>

Osofisan is Vice President (West Africa) of the Pan African Writers' Association.<ref name=PAWA>[https://www.modernghana.com/news/683516/pawa-congratulates-prof-osofisan.html "PAWA Congratulates Prof Osofisan"], ''Modern Ghana'', 1 April 2016.</ref>

In 2016, he became the first African to be awarded the prestigious Thalia Prize by the International Association of Theatre Critics,<ref>[http://thenationonlineng.net/reward-for-criticism/ "Reward for criticism"], ''The Nation'', 3 February 2016.</ref> the induction ceremony taking place on 27 September.<ref>[http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/10/02/osofisan-installed-as-2016-thalia-laureate/ "Osofisan installed as 2016 Thalia laureate"], ''PM News'', 2 October 2016.</ref>

== Writing ==

Osofisan has written and produced more than 60 plays.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Prof. Femi Osofisan {{!}} UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN|url=https://www.ui.edu.ng/osofisanfemi|website=www.ui.edu.ng|access-date=2020-05-26|archive-date=2020-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731044149/https://www.ui.edu.ng/osofisanfemi|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=International conference in Osofisan's honour holds next June {{!}} City Voice Newspaper|url=http://cityvoiceng.com/international-conference-in-osofisans-honour-holds-next-june/|last=Voice|first=City|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-11}}</ref> He has also written four prose works: ''Ma'ami'', ''Abigail'', ''Pirates of Hurt'' and ''Cordelia'', first produced in newspaper columns, in ''The Daily Times'' and then ''The Guardian''. His prose work, Ma'ami, was adapted into a film in 2011. Several of Osofisan's plays are adaptations of works by other writers: ''Women of Owu'' from Euripides' ''The Trojan Women'';<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Olasope|first=Olakunbi|date=2012|title=To Sack a City or to Breach a Woman's Chastity: Euripides' Trojan Women and Osofisan's Women of Owu|journal=African Performance Review, Journal of African Theatre Association UK|volume=6| issue=1 |pages=111–121}}</ref> ''Who's Afraid of Solarin?'' from Nikolai Gogol's ''The Government Inspector''; ''No More the Wasted Breed'' from Wole Soyinka's ''The Strong Breed''; ''Another Raft'' from J. P. Clark's ''The Raft''; ''Tegonni: An African Antigone'' from Sophocles′ ''Antigone'',<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Olasope|first=Olakunbi|date=2002|title=Greek and Yoruba Beliefs in Sophocles' Antigone and Femi Osofisan's Adaptation, Tegonni|journal=Papers in Honour of Tekena N. Tamuno|pages=408–420}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199296101.001.0001/acprof-9780199296101-chapter-3|title=Antigone's Boat: the Colonial and the Postcolonial in Tegonni: An African Antigone by Femi Osofisan|last=Goff|first=Barbara| editor1-first=Lorna | editor1-last=Hardwick | editor2-first=Carol | editor2-last=Gillespie |date=2007-10-11|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780191712135|language=en-US|doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199296101.001.0001}}</ref> and others.

Osofisan in his works also emphasizes gender: his representation of women as objects, objects of social division, due to shifting customs and long-lived traditions, and also as instruments for sexual exploitation; and his portrayal of women as subjects, individuals capable of cognition, endowed with consciousness and will, and capable of making decisions and effecting actions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Olujide |first=Clement Ajidahun |date=2021-05-01 |title=Deification of Women and Female Imaging: A Feminist Reading of Femi Osofisan's Plays |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352980575 |journal=UNIUYO Journal of Humanities |volume=25 |issue=1}}</ref> His inspiration is based on his hometown and his society.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Precious |first=Aimiton |date=2026-02-18 |title=Femi Osofisan: Nigeria's Visionary Playwright Who Transformed African Theatre {{!}} Historical Nigeria |url=https://historicalnigeria.com/femi-osofisan-nigerias-visionary-playwright-who-transformed-african-theatre/ |access-date=2026-03-19 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2013, drawing inspiration from Cao Yu's ''Thunderstorm'' and juxtaposing its narrative with contemporary events in his homeland, Osofisan wrote the play ''All for Catherine'', which concerns class struggle, neocolonialism in China's activities in Africa and the anti-Chinese sentiment growing among Africans.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375808169 |title=Unveiling Neocolonialism in Sino-African Relations: Femi Osofisan's All for Catherine|date=November 2023|doi=10.25159/1753-5387/13947|journal=Journal of Literary Studies|volume=39|issue=1|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Selected works== * ''Kolera Kolej''. New Horn, 1975.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |title=Kolera kolej |date=1975 |publisher=New Horn Press |location=Ibadan, Nigeria |ol=18907513M }}</ref> * ''The Chattering and the Song''. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press, 1977.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |url=http://archive.org/details/chatteringsong00osof |title=The chattering and the song |date=1977 |publisher=[Ibadan] : Ibadan University Press, 1977 |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-978-121-036-5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |title=The chattering and the song |date=1977 |publisher=Ibadan University Press |isbn=978-978-121-036-5 |location=[Ibadan] : Ibadan University Press, 1977 |ol=4442380M }}</ref> * ''Morountodun and Other Plays''. Lagos: Longman, 1982.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EpjSAAAAIAAJ |title=Morountodun and Other Plays |date=1982 |publisher=Longman Nigeria |isbn=978-0-582-78575-5 |language=en}}</ref> * ''Minted Coins'' (poetry), Heinemann, 1987.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Johnson |first=Rotimi |date=1990-09-01 |title=Revolutionary consciousness and commitment in Osofisan'sminted coins |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02036456 |journal=Neohelicon |language=en |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=157–168 |doi=10.1007/BF02036456 |issn=1588-2810|url-access=subscription }}</ref> * ''Another Raft''. Lagos: Malthouse, 1988.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-JkyAAAAIAAJ |title=Another Raft: A Play |date=1988 |publisher=Malthouse Press |isbn=978-978-2601-08-7 |language=en}}</ref> * ''Once upon Four Robbers''. Ibadan: Heinemann, 1991<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |url=http://archive.org/details/onceuponfourrobb00osof |title=Once upon four robbers : (a play) |date=1991 |publisher=Ibadan : Heinemann |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-978-129-179-1}}</ref> * ''Twingle-Twangle A-Twynning Tayle''. Longman, 1992.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfLyAAAAMAAJ |title=Twingle-twangle: A Twynning Tayle |date=1995 |publisher=Longman Nigeria |isbn=978-978-139-854-4 |language=en}}</ref> * ''Yungba-Yungba and the Dance Contest: A Parable for Our Times'', Heinemann Educational, Nigeria, 1993.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |title=Yungba-Yungba and the dance contest: a parable for our times |date=1993 |publisher=Heinemann Educational Books (Nigeria) |isbn=978-978-129-249-1 |location=Ibadan |ol=1176125M }}</ref> * ''The Album of the Midnight Blackout'', University Press, Nigeria, 1994.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |title=The album of the midnight blackout |date=1994 |publisher=University Press |isbn=978-978-2494-21-4 |location=Ibadan |ol=879082M }}</ref> * [http://lucas.leeds.ac.uk/article/warriors-of-a-failed-utopia-femi-osofisan/ "Warriors of a Failed Utopia? West African writers since the 70s"] in Leeds ''African Studies Bulletin'' 61 (1996), pp. 11–36. * ''Tegonni: An African Antigone''. Ibadan: Opon Ifa, 1999.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3vzJYgEACAAJ |title=Tegonni: An African Antigone |date=2007 |publisher=Concept Publications |isbn=978-978-8065-94-4 |language=en}}</ref> * "Theater and the Rites of 'Post-Negritude' Remembering". ''Research in African Literatures'' 30.1 (1999): 1–11. * "Love's Unlike Lading: A Comedy from Shakespeare". Lagos: Concept Publications. 2012<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7L4CswEACAAJ |title=Love's Unlike Lading: A Comedy from Shakespeare |date=2012 |publisher=Concept Publications |isbn=978-978-51445-0-5 |language=en}}</ref> * "One Legend, Many seasons". Lagos: Concept Publications. 2001<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osofisan |first=Femi |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007589932 |title=One legend, many seasons |date=2001 |publisher=Opon Ifa Readers |isbn=978-978-33259-9-9 |location=Nigeria}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Agunbiade |first1=Oyewumi Olatoye |last2=Enongene |first2=Sone Mirabeau |title=Time Travel in World Literature and Cinema |date=2024-03-01 |chapter=Time Travel and Social Values in Femi Osofisan's One Legend, Many Seasons |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379021268 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |pages=203–230 |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-52315-1_9 |isbn=978-3-031-52314-4 }}</ref> * ''All for Catherine'', an adaptation of ''Thunderstorm'' by Cao Yu<ref>{{cite journal|last=Liu|first=Xunqian|url=https://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1753-53872023000100015|title=Unveiling Neocolonialism in Sino-African Relations: Femi Osofisan's All for Catherine|journal=Journal of Literary Studies |volume=39|issue=1 |year=2023|doi=10.25159/1753-5387/13947|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Awards== * 2015: PAWA Membership Honorary Award<ref name=PAWA /><ref>{{Cite news|title=Echoes of Achebe's works at writers' show|url=https://thenationonlineng.net/echoes-of-achebes-works-at-writers-show/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|date=2015-11-24|newspaper=The Nation|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> * 2016: Thalia Prize from the International Association of Theatre Critics<ref>{{Cite news|title=Femi Osofisan wins Thalia Prize 2016|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/femi-osofisan-wins-thalia-prize-2016-3/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|date=2016-02-08|newspaper=Vanguard|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}} * Contemporary Authors Online, Thomson Gale.

==Further reading== * Sola Adeyemi, ''Vision of Change in African Drama: Femi Osofisan's Dialectical Reading of History and Politics'', Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019 {{ISBN|978-1-5275-3637-1}} * Adeoti, Gbemisola. "The loudness of the "Unsaid": Proverbs in selected African drama." ''Legon Journal of the Humanities'' 30, no. 1 (2019): 82-104.[https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ljh/article/viewFile/191102/180278 Web link] * Chima Osakwe, ''The Revolutionary Drama and Theatre of Femi Osofisan.'' Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2018 {{ISBN|978-1-5275-1596-3}} * Olakunbi Olasope (ed), ''Black Dionysos: Conversations with Femi Osofisan''. Ibadan: Kraft Books. 2013 {{ISBN|9789789181094}} * Osisanwo, Ayo & Muideen Adekunle. Expressions of Political Consciousness in Wole Soyinka's ''Alapata Apata'' and Femi Osofisan's ''Morountodun'': A Pragma-Stylistic Analysis. ''Ibadan Journal of English Studies'' 7 (2018): 521–542. * Sola Adeyemi (ed), ''Portraits for an Eagle: Essays in Honour of Femi Osofisan'', Bayreuth African Studies, 2006. {{ISBN|978-3927510951}} * Tunde Akinyemi and Toyin Falola (eds), ''Emerging Perspectives on Femi Osofisan'', Africa World Press, 2009. {{ISBN|978-1592216994}}

==External links== * [https://femiosofisan.wordpress.com/ Femi Osofisan's Word] * Wumi Raji, [http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/research_in_african_literatures/v036/36.4raji.html "Africanizing Antigone: Postcolonial Discourse and Strategies of Indigenizing a Western Classic"], ''Research in African Literatures'', Volume 36, Number 4, Winter 2005, pp. 135–154 | 10.1353/ral.2005.0174. * Adesola Adeyemi, [http://www.postcolonialweb.org/nigeria/osofisan/fechron.html "Femi Osofisan: A Chronology"], African Postcolonial Literature in English. * [http://lucas.leeds.ac.uk/review/major-plays-2/ Martin Banham] reviews Femi Osofisan's ''Major Plays 2'' in the Leeds ''African Studies Bulletin'' 68 (2006). * Don Rubin, [http://www.critical-stages.org/14/prof-don-rubins-brief-introduction-to-femi-osofisan/ "A Brief Introduction to Femi Osofisan"], ''Critical Stages/Scènes Critiques'', December 2016: Issue No 14.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Osofisan, Femi}} Category:Nigerian dramatists and playwrights Category:People from Ogun State Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:Yoruba writers Category:Government College, Ibadan alumni Category:University of Ibadan alumni Category:20th-century Nigerian writers Category:English-language Nigerian writers Category:Yoruba academics Category:Academic staff of the University of Ibadan Category:Academic staff of Kwara State University