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Kate Madu
Osun State House of Assembly, under the leadership of the Hon. Najeem Salam, has condoled with the entire Yoruba nation over the death of Nigeria’s prolific writer, Prof. Akinwumi Ishola, who died on Saturday.
In a statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the House described Prof. Ishola’s death as ‘a great loss’.
The House pointed that the late Professor of Yoruba literature at Obafemi Awolowo University was a man of letter with authentic thoughts and original idea on Yoruba cosmology.
“It is so unfortunate that the cold hands of death plucked one of intellegenstia, Prof. Akinwumi Ishola who wrote his first play, Efunsetan Aniwura, during 1961 and 1962 whilst still a student at the University of Ibadan.
The Linguist was renowned for works like ‘O Leku’ and the college anthem that is currently being sung in Wesley College Ibadan among other works.
Having written a number of plays and novels, Professor Ishola also went into broadcasting, creating a production company that has turned a number of his plays into television dramas and films.
A multiple award winner, in recognition of his immense contributions, he was awarded the National Merit Award and the Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters. The wordsmith was also a visiting professor at the University of Georgia.”
