The Great Ife Alumni Association has celebrated the election of three of its illustrious members as Fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), marking a prestigious academic milestone for Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, and the global community of its alumni.
The honourees include Professor Gbemisola Adeoti, elected as a Regular Fellow; Professor Akinwumi Ogundiran, as an Overseas Fellow; and Dr. Lasisi Olagunju, as an Honorary Fellow of the Academy—Nigeria’s apex institution for humanities scholarship.
In a congratulatory message, the Global President of the Alumni Association, Barrister Bunmi Falode, described the trio as “accomplished academic giants” and “worthy ambassadors” of the Great Ife tradition, urging them to continue leveraging their intellectual resources for the betterment of society.
“As you join the league of eminent personalities shaping the world with their innovative ideas, I implore you to use your well-endowed knowledge to positively impact the society,” Falode said in the statement issued by the association’s Global Publicity Secretary, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.
Profiles of the Honourees
Professor Gbemisola Adeoti, an accomplished poet, dramatist, and literary scholar, is widely respected for his groundbreaking work in literature, media, and cultural studies.
A native of Iseyin, Oyo State, Adeoti is an alumnus of OAU where he obtained his first degree in Dramatic Arts and a Master’s in Literature.
He later earned a PhD in English from the University of Ibadan, focusing on the aesthetics of democratization in Nigerian drama.
His work has positioned him as one of the most influential literary voices in the country.
Professor Akinwumi Ogundiran, a globally renowned archaeologist and historian, is noted for his pioneering studies on Yoruba civilization and Atlantic Africa.
A First-Class graduate of Archaeology from OAU, Ogundiran holds postgraduate degrees from the University of Ibadan and Boston University. He is the current President of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists and a 2025 Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Lasisi Olagunju, a distinguished journalist and political communicator, holds a first-class degree in English from OAU and advanced degrees in Communication Arts and Political Communication from the University of Ibadan.
Known for his incisive Monday Lines column in the Saturday Tribune, Dr. Olagunju has won multiple Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) and the Nigeria Media Merit Award.
He is also a lawyer and former Chief Press Secretary to a former Osun State Governor.
The Nigerian Academy of Letters is an autonomous scholarly institution dedicated to advancing scholarship and national development through the promotion of the humanities.
The elevation of these scholars is not only a testament to their personal achievements but also a reflection of the enduring academic legacy of Obafemi Awolowo University.
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