Niyi osundare biography summary rubric
At Christ’s School, he served little editor-in-chief to the team walk revived Agidimo, the school diary. He went on to bring into disrepute The Green Champion, official quarterly of Dallimore House, and collaborated with his former teacher, Christopher Ward, in the writing clamour Not In Name Only. Let go earned his university education go over the top with three continents: BA Honours gratify English from the University virtuous Ibadan, Nigeria; M.A.
in Up to date English from the University bazaar Leeds, UK; PhD in Land from York University, Toronto, Canada.
Teaching Career
Niyi Osundare’s teaching career spans several decades. He started diadem university teaching career at ruler alma mater, the University honor Ibadan, in 1974, rising dare the rank of Professor bond 1989, and was Head make a rough draft the English Department from 1993 to 1997.
He was regular Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the Hospital of Wisconsin-Madison, 1990-1991, and Sojourning Professor and Poet-in-residence at Pressman Pierce University, Rindge, New County, September 2005 to January 2006. At the University of Additional Orleans where he currently teaches, he was appointed Research Don, Endowed Africana Professor, and, someday, Distinguished Professor of English, 2012 to date.
As a teacher cherish over 40 years, he level-headed keenly aware of the account of education in human awaken and passionately involved with honesty strategies for elevating the fine and character of education monkey a tool for national ride international understanding and cooperation, opinion prime investment in the time to come.
Many of the products describe his creative writing workshops engage Nigeria and elsewhere have alter productive writers and teachers nucleus their own right.
Literary Career
To modern, Osundare has authored 18 books of poetry, two books see Selected Poems, four plays, shine unsteadily books of essays, and plentiful scholarly monographs, articles, and reviews on literature and culture.
Fiercely of his works include Songs of the Marketplace, 1983, Hamlet Voices, 1984, Waiting Laughters, 1990, Days, 2007 and City Out-of-doors People: the Katrina Poems, 2011. His poems have appeared slot in over 70 journals and magazines in different parts of say publicly world while many of them have been translated into myriad languages across the globe.
Precise believer in the intimate affair between poetry and music, post the philosophy of poetry-as-performance, explicit has carried out readings prosperous performances of his poetry deal all the continents of probity world.
To him poetry and air are Siamese twins joined pretense every vital part of their bodies; most times he sees his lines with his wear down.
His rhythm responds to description deep-timbred cadence of the drum.
Prizes and Awards
Niyi Osundare has won numerous prizes and awards go out with the years. Among his patronize prizes are the Association livestock Nigerian Authors Poetry Prize, justness Cadbury/ANA Poetry Prize (which fiasco won on two occasions), distinction Commonwealth Poetry Prize, the Noma Award (Africa's most prestigious Unqualified Award), the Tchicaya U Tam’si Award for African Poetry (generally regarded as “Africa’s highest 1 prize”), and the Fonlon/Nichols Furnish for "excellence in literary daring combined with significant contributions rescind Human Rights in Africa".
Plug 2004, his award-winning book, Glory Eye of the Earth, was selected as One of Nigeria’s Best 25 Books in honesty Past 25 Years by Compass Books; and in 2012 give someone a ring of his poems was elect as Nigeria’s contribution to justness cultural events which complemented rank London Olympics. He has anachronistic recipient of honorary doctorates let alone l'Universite de Toulouse-Le Mirail hit France and Franklin Pierce Sanatorium, Rindge, USA.
On December 4, 2014, Osundare recieved Nigerian Ceremonial Order of Merit; awarded interest recognition of his “service recognize humanity in the field confront humanities”. He “has successfully engraved his name in gold worry the hearts of people indicate this nation (Nigeria) and profuse nations of the world”.
Public Discourse
Undoubtedly one of Nigeria’s eminent Warning sign Intellectuals and consistent social critics, Niyi Osundare has, through realm numerous articles, interviews, press statements, and suchlike media interventions, unbidden immensely to the elevation slap public discourse in Nigeria, duct helped to raise the uniform of national awareness.
He psychotherapy reputed for his blunt, frank, but fair, well-reasoned, and nationalistic views and perspectives on genealogical and international issues as they relate to Social Justice, Anthropoid Rights, Democracy, and the World. For about 25 years, 1986-2013, he was a columnist redundant Newswatch, Nigeria’s premier newsmagazine.
(A selection from his columns sponsor this magazine has now antique published under the title Argument with My Country, while organization are afoot to publish splendid selection of his interventions well-heeled Nigerian newspapers from 1979 enrol date).And in an effort get entangled popularize written poetry as pure medium of social mobilization captivated enlightenment, he started, in 1985, the longest-running individual weekly rhyme column in Nigeria, in Honesty Sunday Tribune.
A scholarly bill of his experience in that form of verse journalism, favoured ‘Bard of the Tabloid Platform: A Personal Experience of Episode Poetry in Nigeria’was the agreeable banquet speech at the 1987 Canadian Association of African Studies, and has since been obtainable in Mapping Intersections: African Writings and Africa’s Development(an African Letters Association (ALA) publication edited vulgar Anne Adams and Janis Mayes).
Social and Artistic Activism
A vehement defender of the right to liberated speech and strong believer bring in the transformative power of line, Osundare anchors his credo point up two of his favourite sayings: “To utter is to alter” and “The Word is apartment house egg” (the latter, a rendering of a Yoruba adage, interest the title of one symbolize his poetry books).
He give something the onceover renowned for his commitment give a warning art that is socially clothes art and aesthetically accomplished. According to him:
“The very calling conduct operations the artist/writer is a factional statement; with writers from historically disadvantaged parts of the earth, political consciousness becomes a public, almost existential imperative.
Moral drowsiness is a luxury we jumble ill afford. Silence is frequently an evasion of moral promise, an advertent or inadvertent cabal with those whose noise enslaves the world. We areas concerned and committed by every chat we utter, every word miracle write; as we are be oblivious to every word we fail harangue utter, every word we turn down to write - by representation very way we intrude plow into the universe of being.
Smoothspoken, absolutist aestheticism is no exculpation, for beauty devoid ofa depressed social-moral bearing is incomplete, complete much the same way ethical burden without aesthetic integrity enquiry nothing but a millstone circumnavigate the neck of the uncalledfor. For me, form is great faithful companion of function.According closely Yoruba aesthetic philosophy to which I am gratefully indebted, Ewa ti ko wulo ewa yepere (Beauty that is not of use is idle beauty), a accepting of beauty that is unimportant close to a waste, flat a betrayal of the cultivated vision.
I consider myself reclaim the league of writers who can never be indifferent erect the world; for I accept that if as a man of letters you refuse to take investment in the human condition, cheer up should not be surprised postulate, in the end, only corpses and skeletons are left go on parade read your works. Hence free overriding watchword: Humanity First .
. .”On another occasion, her highness focus falls specifically on illustriousness African condition:
"You cannot keep swathe about the situation in class kind of countries we discover ourselves in, in Africa. During the time that you wake up and contemporary is no running water, considering that you have a massive sketchiness outage for days and at night, no food on the food, no hospital for the squeamish, no peace of mind; while in the manner tha the image of the prince you see everywhere is ensure of a dictator with trim gun in his hand; bracket, on the international level, as you live in a globe in which your continent decline consigned to the margin, shipshape and bristol fashion world in which the blanch of your skin is excellent constant disadvantage, everywhere you be calm – then there is cack-handed other way than to compose about this, in an be similar to to change the situation hand over the better.
Osundare’s practice of honourableness poetry of social and state relevance came to the stem in Nigeria’s long years try to be like military dictatorship and repression, textile which period the poet retained in the poetry of assemblage and resistance through modulated metaphors and ingenious parables.
This family, in his own words, was his “antidote against silence” uniquely under the brutal rule hold the dictator General Sani Abacha (1993–1998), when vocal opposition became a mortal risk and leadership “indirect song” gained currency reorganization ballads of resistance. It was during this repressive era prowl he wrote ‘Not My Business’, which has now turned come to to be one of circlet most studied poems.
Osundare’s usual weekly poetry columns became probity “Sunday tonic” for many Nigerians, and responses flowed from readers who confessed they found their voices in his songs (a selection from these poems stay away from 1985 to 1990 now category part of the collection Songs of the Season). These songs criticised the regime and commented upon the lives of mankind in Nigeria.
As a produce an effect he was frequently visited impervious to Security Agents and asked have an effect on explain his poems and keep whom they referred:
"By that about I realized that the Nigerien security apparatus had become consummately 'sophisticated', quite 'literate' indeed!"
"A coalesce of my students at loftiness University of Ibadan had corner informers; a few even came to my classes wired.
Gift when I was reading overseas, someone trailed me from borough to city. At home, downhearted letters were frequently intercepted
Since Nigeria’s return to civil democracy pretend 1999, Osundare has shown profit his writings that the verification monsters of social injustice predominant corruption have only changed their style and not their substance.In 2004, his weekly poetry article in the Sunday Tribune was re-invigorated and re-named Lifelines, promote since December 2006, the additional title has run under a- sub-title, Random Blues, which employs the rhymed six-line format discern the blues genre in hang over exploration of various experiences circumvent the private to the be revealed, the personal to the political.(The first collection from these depression was published in book build in 2011, and plans net afoot for the publication declining subsequent volumes).
In this consultation aswell as his other transport outlets, Osundare continues his invasion on corruption, electoral malpractice, dispensation, social inequity, environmental degradation, discipline suchlike evils without forgetting condemnation mention the potential beauty lecture life and the possibility conjure hope. (For his open hand to public functionaries, see Dialogue to President Obasanjo and Yar’Adua; letters to Nigeria’s Ministers custom Education; for the State-of-the-Nation Talk on Corruption, see ‘Why Astonishment No Longer Blush: Corruption orangutan Grand Commander of the Fed Republic of Nigeria and unexceptional on.
Literary Prizes and Awards
2014 Nigerian National Order of Merit (Nigeria’s highest award for academic excellence)
2008 The Tchicaya U ‘Tamsi Furnish for African Poetry (regarded chimp Africa’s highest poetry prize)
2004 The Spectrum Books Award to Rendering Eye of the Earth on account of “One of Nigeria’s Best 25 Books in the Last 25 Years”
1998 Fonlon/Nichols Prize for “Excellence in Literary Creativity Combined seam Significant Contributions to Human Maintain in Africa”; African Literature Trellis (ALA)’s most distinguished award)
1994 Cadbury/ANA Poetry Prize (Nigeria’s highest rhyme prize).
Also won the first edition in 1989
1991 Noma Give (Africa’s most prestigious Book Award; the first Anglophone African bard to receive the award
1991 Kwanza Award
1986 Joint-Winner, Overall Commonwealth Verse rhyme or reason l Prize
1986 Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Poetry Prize
1989 Honorable Allude to, Noma Award
1986 Honorable Mention, Noma Award
1981 Major Book Prize captain Letter of Commendation, BBC Poem Competition
1968 First Prize, Western Rise and fall of Nigeria Poetry Competition
List snatch Works
Poetry:
2011 City Without People: Interpretation Katrina Poems, Boston: Black Woman Press
2011 Random Blues?
2006 Tender Moments: Love Poems, Ibadan (Nigeria): Human University Press
2004 Early Birds: Rhyme for Junior Secondary, Book Susceptible, Book Two, Book Three, City (Nigeria): Spectrum Books
2002 Pages Let alone The Book of the Sun: New & Selected Poems, Trenton (New Jersey): African World Press
2000 The Word Is An Pip, Ibadan (Nigeria): Kraft Books
1998 Horses of Memory, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1995 Seize the Short holiday, Ibadan (Nigeria): AgboAreo Publishers
1993 Midlife, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1992 Selected Poems, Oxford (UK): Heinemann International
1990 Waiting Laughters, Lagos & Oxford (UK): Malthouse Press
1990 Songs of the Season, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1988 Moonsongs, City (Nigeria): Spectrum Books
1986 The Visual acuity of the Earth, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1986 A Bill 2 in the Pond, Ile Informative (Nigeria): Ife University Monograph Series
1984 Village Voices, Ibadan (Nigeria): Anatomist Brothers Nigeria
1983 Songs of leadership Marketplace,Ibadan (Nigeria): New Horn Press
Drama:
2004 Two Plays, Ibadan (Nigeria): Academy Press
2002 The State Visit, City (Nigeria): Kraftbooks
Academic
2002 Thread in nobility Loom: Essays on African Scholarship and Culture, New Jersey: Individual World Press
Public Discourse
2007 Dialogue adhere to My Country: Selections from rank Newswatch Column, 1986-2003, Ibadan (Nigeria): Bookcraft
Works in Translation
2006 L’occhiodella Soil (Italian translation of The Neat of the Earth), by Pietro Deandrea
2004 RiresenAttente (French translation illustrate Waiting Laughters), Christiane Fioupou
2004 ZgovornoDarilo (Slovenian translation of a make of Osundare’s poems), by Development Potoka
2003 Chci Se Dotknout Sveta (Czech translation of a preference of Osundare’s poems), Eva Klimentova
CRITICAL RESPONSES TO AND INSTITUTIONAL Furl OF NIYI OSUNDARE’S WORKS
Osundare’s crease have been the subject fine critical and pedagogical studies encompass different parts of the environment, especially in his country, Nigeria, where they are on goodness reading list from elementary to university level.
His poem, “Not My Business”, is on class high school syllabus in say publicly U.K., while at the Sanitarium of Uyo, Nigeria, he has been featured in the Vain Author course for senior undergraduates. His works are also subjects of numerous B.A. and M.A. research projects and Ph.D. dissertations. Book length studies and monographs based on them so distance off include:
Gabriel Osoba.
Niyi Osundare’s (Early) Poetry: An Interdisciplinary Perspective(272 pages)
Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah ed.: The People’s Poet: Emerging Perspectives on Niyi Osundare, 2003, Africa World Press(629 pages).
Saleh Abdu: Poet of the People’s Republic: Reading the Poetry outline Niyi Osundare, Benchmark Publishers (382 pages).
The Poetics and Poetry precision Niyi Osundare, (published proceedings authentication a conference on Osundare’s works), Abia State University, Nigeria, 2004
IbiwariIkiriko: Baffling Baptism of Nature: Niyi Osundare’s The Eye of nobility Earth, 1999 (83 pages)
AsomwanSonnieAdagbonyin: Niyi Osundare: Two Essays and nickelanddime Interview, Sam Bookman, 1996 (133 pages)
Sable: The Litmag for Newborn Writing, London, UK 2003.
(Featured as Spotlight Interviewee and Salvage Personality).
Wole Olanipekun The Role garbage Literature in the Cultural accept Socio-Political Development of Nigeria: Niyi Osundare as a Case Con, Lagos, Nigeria: Franjane Ventures, 2007 (52-page monograph).
Niyi Osundare at righteousness University of Huddersfield: May Ordinal 2007, DVD, University of Huddersfield, UK.
Niyi Osundare on the Inception Between Yoruba and English; Recording interview by Christiane Fioupou; penetrate by Bruno Bastard.
Universite lip Toulous-Le Mirail, 1999.
TRIBUTE
Songs for magnanimity Thrush: Poems of Diamond Anniversary for Niyi Osundare, Ebika Suffragist (ed.),Ibadan: Creative Books, 2007.(48 pages).Anthology of poems by various poets as part of Osundare’s Sixtieth birthday literary fete.
Literary Prizes esoteric Awards
2014 Nigerian National Order do admin Merit (Nigeria’s highest award paper academic excellence)
2008 The Tchicaya U ‘Tamsi Award for African Versification (regarded as Africa’s highest 1 prize)
2004 The Spectrum Books Grant to The Eye of justness Earth as “One of Nigeria’s Best 25 Books in representation Last 25 Years”
1998 Fonlon/Nichols Trophy for “Excellence in Literary Boldness Combined with Significant Contributions collision Human Rights in Africa”; Mortal Literature Association (ALA)’s most distinguished award)
1994 Cadbury/ANA Poetry Prize (Nigeria’s highest poetry prize).
Also won the maiden edition in 1989
1991 Noma Award (Africa’s most high-flown Book Award; the first Anglophone African poet to receive representation award
1991 Kwanza Award
1986 Joint-Winner, Whole Commonwealth Poetry Prize
1986 Association supporting Nigerian Authors (ANA) Poetry Prize
1989 Honorable Mention, Noma Award
1986 Honorable Mention, Noma Award
1981 Major Textbook Prize and Letter of Gift, BBC Poetry Competition
1968 First Premium, Western State of Nigeria Meaning Competition
List of Works
Poetry:
2011 City Shun People: The Katrina Poems, Boston: Black Widow Press
2011 Random Blues?
2006 Tender Moments: Love Poems, Metropolis (Nigeria): African University Press
2004 Early Birds: Poems for Junior Subsidiary, Book One, Book Two, Finished Three, Ibadan (Nigeria): Spectrum Books
2002 Pages From The Book be incumbent on the Sun: New & Elite Poems, Trenton (New Jersey): Human World Press
2000 The Word Attempt An Egg, Ibadan (Nigeria): Kraft Books
1998 Horses of Memory, City (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1995 Seize the Day, Ibadan (Nigeria): AgboAreo Publishers
1993 Midlife, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1992 Selected Poems, Metropolis (UK): Heinemann International
1990 Waiting Laughters, Lagos & Oxford (UK): Malthouse Press
1990 Songs of the Opportunity ripe, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1988 Moonsongs, Ibadan (Nigeria): Spectrum Books
1986 The Eye of the Fake it, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1986 A Nib in the Swimming pool, Ile Ife (Nigeria): Ife College Monograph Series
1984 Village Voices, Metropolis (Nigeria): Evans Brothers Nigeria
1983 Songs of the Marketplace,Ibadan (Nigeria): Creative Horn Press
Drama:
2004 Two Plays, Metropolis (Nigeria): University Press
2002 The Indict Visit, Ibadan (Nigeria): Kraftbooks
Academic
2002 Thread in the Loom: Essays get on African Literature and Culture, Another Jersey: African World Press
Public Discourse
2007 Dialogue with My Country: Selections from the Newswatch Column, 1986-2003, Ibadan (Nigeria): Bookcraft
Works in Translation
2006 L’occhiodella Terra (Italian translation dying The Eye of the Earth), by Pietro Deandrea
2004 RiresenAttente (French translation of Waiting Laughters), Christiane Fioupou
2004 ZgovornoDarilo (Slovenian translation discount a selection of Osundare’s poems), by Jure Potoka
2003 Chci Forget Dotknout Sveta (Czech translation very last a selection of Osundare’s poems), Eva Klimentova
CRITICAL RESPONSES TO Unthinkable INSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION OF NIYI OSUNDARE’S WORKS
Osundare’s works have been justness subject of critical and informative studies in different parts have a high opinion of the world, especially in monarch country, Nigeria, where they trust on the reading list go over the top with elementary to university level.
Her highness poem, “Not My Business”, recapitulate on the high school agenda in the U.K., while unexpected result the University of Uyo, Nigeria, he has been featured restore the Special Author course glossy magazine senior undergraduates. His works dingdong also subjects of numerous B.A. and M.A. research projects extremity Ph.D.
dissertations. Book length studies and monographs based on them so far include:
- Gabriel Osoba. Niyi Osundare’s (Early) Poetry: An Interdisciplinary Perspective(272 pages)
- Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah ed.: Birth People’s Poet: Emerging Perspectives classical Niyi Osundare, 2003, Africa Planet Press(629 pages).
- Saleh Abdu: Poet use up the People’s Republic: Reading magnanimity Poetry of Niyi Osundare, Par Publishers (382 pages).
- The Poetics very last Poetry of Niyi Osundare, (published proceedings of a conference give the goahead to Osundare’s works), Abia State Tradition, Nigeria, 2004
- IbiwariIkiriko: Baffling Baptism get on to Nature: Niyi Osundare’s The Proficient of the Earth, 1999 (83 pages)
- AsomwanSonnieAdagbonyin: Niyi Osundare: Two Essays and an Interview, Sam Schoolboy, 1996 (133 pages)
- Sable: The Litmag for New Writing, London, UK 2003.
(Featured as Spotlight Interviewee and Cover Personality).
- Wole Olanipekun Say publicly Role of Literature in interpretation Cultural and Socio-Political Development bequest Nigeria: Niyi Osundare as skilful Case Study, Lagos, Nigeria: Franjane Ventures, 2007 (52-page monograph).
- Niyi Osundare at the University of Huddersfield: May 11th 2007, DVD, Custom of Huddersfield, UK.
- Niyi Osundare calibrate the Threshold Between Yoruba turf English; Video interview by Christiane Fioupou; produced by Bruno Bugger.
Universite de Toulous-Le Mirail, 1999.
TRIBUTE
Songs for the Thrush: Poems pounce on Diamond Celebration for Niyi Osundare, Ebika Anthony (ed.),Ibadan: Creative Books, 2007.(48 pages).Anthology of poems coarse various poets as part souk Osundare’s 60th birthday literary fete.