The acclaimed poet and essayist, Professor Esijolomi Anthony Afejuku, of the Department of English and Literature, University of Benin, UNIBEN, will today, Thursday, June 10, deliver the university’s 245th Inaugural Lecture.
The professor of Creative Writing, who doubles as a columnist for some major newspapers, such as the Nigerian Tribune, where he wrote the popular “In & Out” for almost six years, will be talking on the topic: “The Autobiography of Nigeria”, at the lecture slated for 4 pm at the Akin Deko Main Auditorium of the university.
The Inaugural Lecture will be presided over by the UNIBEN Vice-chancellor, Professor Lilian Imuetinyan Salami.
Afejuku, who currently maintains a Friday column with The Guardian newspaper, spices his newspaper writings with poetic devices, as he dwells mostly on issues affecting Nigeria’s politics and polity; general human-related matters and sports.
His choice of topic, “The Autobiography of Nigeria”, is therefore not a surprise as the poet and literary critic has devoted more than two decades of his writings, lectures and poetry on the drifts in the nation’s polity, especially at this precarious time that the country appears to be at the edge of the precipice.
Popularly known as “No Paddy for Jungle”, a name given to him by his students and colleagues alike due to his objectivity and ability to treat all issues fairly, Afejuku’s lecture promises to be as incisive as his numerous writings.
A Fellow of the Literary Society of Nigeria, FLSN, Member of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, MNAL, Justice of the Peace, JP and author of three volumes of poems: “An Orchard of Wishes”, “A Garden of Moods” and “A Spring of Sweets”, Afejuku bagged B.A. and M.A. degrees from the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria; and a PhD from the University of Benin. He delivered the 2nd combined Convocation Lecture of the Federal University Oye Ekiti, FUOYE, where he spoke on the topic “Anticipating the Birthday Boy” and he is also a member of the Editorial Board of The Daily Times.
Afejuku is married to Augusta Alero Afejuku and the marriage is blessed with children.
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