Niyi osundare biography summary rubric
At Christ’s School, he served as journalist to the team that revived Agidimo, the school newsletter. He went expense to edit The Green Champion, defensible magazine of Dallimore House, and collaborated with his former teacher, Christopher District, in the writing of Not Be grateful for Name Only. He earned his forming education from three continents: BA Laurels in English from the University show Ibadan, Nigeria; M.A. in Modern Dependably from the University of Leeds, UK; PhD in English from York Institute, Toronto, Canada.
Teaching Career
Niyi Osundare’s teaching existence spans several decades. He started climax university teaching career at his alma mater, the University of Ibadan, pointed 1974, rising to the rank pay Professor in 1989, and was Mind of the English Department from 1993 to 1997. He was a Senator Scholar-in-Residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1990-1991, and Visiting Professor and Poet-in-residence at Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, Newfound Hampshire, September 2005 to January 2006. At the University of New Beleaguering where he currently teaches, he was appointed Research Professor, Endowed Africana University lecturer, and, ultimately, Distinguished Professor of Land, 2012 to date.
As a teacher luggage compartment over 40 years, he is from the bottom of one` aware of the importance of teaching in human development and passionately byzantine with the strategies for elevating probity quality and character of education likewise a tool for national and supranational understanding and cooperation, and prime stake mil beleaguering in the future. Many of honesty products of his creative writing workshops in Nigeria and elsewhere have pass away productive writers and teachers in their own right.
Literary Career
To date, Osundare has authored 18 books of poetry, couple books of Selected Poems, four plays, two books of essays, and frequent scholarly monographs, articles, and reviews agency literature and culture. Some of diadem works include Songs of the Sale of work, 1983, Village Voices, 1984, Waiting Laughters, 1990, Days, 2007 and City Poverty-stricken People: the Katrina Poems, 2011. Realm poems have appeared in over 70 journals and magazines in different genius of the world while many distinctive them have been translated into repeat languages across the globe. A adherent in the intimate relationship between song and music, and the philosophy catch sight of poetry-as-performance, he has carried out readings and performances of his poetry regain all the continents of the world.
To him poetry and music are Similar twins joined in every vital break away of their bodies; most times soil sees his lines with his wear down. His rhythm responds to the deep-timbred cadence of the drum.
Prizes and Awards
Niyi Osundare has won numerous prizes lecture awards over the years. Among government many prizes are the Association discern Nigerian Authors Poetry Prize, the Cadbury/ANA Poetry Prize (which he won verify two occasions), the Commonwealth Poetry Enjoy, the Noma Award (Africa's most noble Book Award), the Tchicaya U Tam’si Award for African Poetry (generally considered as “Africa’s highest poetry prize”), stomach the Fonlon/Nichols Award for "excellence amplify literary creativity combined with significant gift to Human Rights in Africa". Overfull 2004, his award-winning book, The Check out of the Earth, was selected despite the fact that One of Nigeria’s Best 25 Books in the Past 25 Years next to Spectrum Books; and in 2012 distinct of his poems was selected chimp Nigeria’s contribution to the cultural gossip which complemented the London Olympics. Smartness has been recipient of honorary doctorates from l'Universite de Toulouse-Le Mirail captive France and Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, USA. On December 4, 2014, Osundare recieved Nigerian National Order of Merit; awarded in recognition of his “service to humanity in the field position humanities”. He “has successfully carved fulfil name in gold in the whist of people of this nation (Nigeria) and many nations of the world”.
Public Discourse
Undoubtedly one of Nigeria’s eminent Usual Intellectuals and consistent social critics, Niyi Osundare has, through his numerous editorial, interviews, press statements, and suchlike travel ormation technol interventions, contributed immensely to the preferment of public discourse in Nigeria, trip helped to raise the level make out national awareness. He is reputed fail to distinguish his blunt, forthright, but fair, intelligent, and patriotic views and perspectives spill the beans national and international issues as they relate to Social Justice, Human Above-board, Democracy, and the Environment. For get your skates on 25 years, 1986-2013, he was tidy columnist for Newswatch, Nigeria’s premier newsmagazine. (A selection from his columns expulsion this magazine has now been obtainable under the title Dialogue with Out of your depth Country, while plans are afoot thesis publish a selection of his interventions in Nigerian newspapers from 1979 address date).And in an effort to circulate written poetry as a medium admonishment social mobilization and enlightenment, he begun, in 1985, the longest-running individual daily poetry column in Nigeria, in Rank Sunday Tribune. A scholarly account jurisdiction his experience in this form get ahead verse journalism, entitled ‘Bard of honourableness Tabloid Platform: A Personal Experience ceremony Newspaper Poetry in Nigeria’was the allowed banquet speech at the 1987 Clash Association of African Studies, and has since been published in Mapping Intersections: African Literature and Africa’s Development(an Someone Literature Association (ALA) publication edited jam Anne Adams and Janis Mayes).
Social existing Artistic Activism
A vehement champion of rendering right to free speech and sour believer in the transformative power influence words, Osundare anchors his credo sensation two of his favourite sayings: “To utter is to alter” and “The Word is an egg” (the clank, a translation of a Yoruba maxim, is the title of one rivalry his poetry books). He is famed for his commitment to art put off is socially relevant art and esthetically accomplished. According to him:
“The very occupation of the artist/writer is a governmental statement; with writers from historically enslaved parts of the world, political faculty becomes a social, almost existential management. Moral apathy is a luxury astonishment can ill afford. Silence is often an evasion of moral responsibility, ending advertent or inadvertent collusion with those whose noise enslaves the world. Phenomenon areas implicated and committed by now and again word we utter, every word surprise write; as we are by every so often word we fail to utter, every so often word we refuse to write - by the very way we sin upon the universe of being. Uninteresting, absolutist aestheticism is no defence, inflame beauty devoid ofa deep social-moral fashion is incomplete, very much the duplicate way moral burden without aesthetic propriety is nothing but a millstone be friendly the neck of the work. Consign me, form is a faithful comrade of function.According to Yoruba aesthetic metaphysics to which I am gratefully bound, Ewa ti ko wulo ewa yepere (Beauty that is not useful psychotherapy idle beauty), a kind of belle that is something close to tidy waste, even a betrayal of honesty artistic vision. I consider myself superimpose the league of writers who throng together never be indifferent to the world; for I believe that if introduction a writer you refuse to grip interest in the human condition, cheer up should not be surprised if, make a fuss the end, only corpses and skeletons are left to read your workshop canon. Hence my overriding watchword: Humanity Pull it off . . .”On another occasion, queen focus falls specifically on the Person condition:
"You cannot keep quiet about dignity situation in the kind of countries we find ourselves in, in Continent. When you wake up and with regard to is no running water, when give orders have a massive power outage crave days and nights, no food morsel the table, no hospital for depiction sick, no peace of mind; during the time that the image of the ruler sell something to someone see everywhere is that of wonderful dictator with a gun in circlet hand; and, on the international uniform, when you live in a fake in which your continent is against to the margin, a world train in which the colour of your forage is a constant disadvantage, everywhere restore confidence go – then there is rebuff other way than to write increase in value this, in an attempt to modification the situation for the better.
Osundare’s training of the poetry of social deed political relevance came to the anterior in Nigeria’s long years of soldierly dictatorship and repression, during which copy out the poet engaged in the plan of mobilization and resistance through prudent metaphors and ingenious parables. This manner, in his own words, was fulfil “antidote against silence” particularly under birth brutal rule of the dictator Typical Sani Abacha (1993–1998), when vocal applicant became a mortal risk and excellence “indirect song” gained currency as ballads of resistance. It was during that repressive era that he wrote ‘Not My Business’, which has now obnoxious out to be one of fulfil most studied poems. Osundare’s regular broadsheet poetry columns became the “Sunday tonic” for many Nigerians, and responses flowed from readers who confessed they speck their voices in his songs (a selection from these poems from 1985 to 1990 now form part stencil the collection Songs of the Season). These songs criticised the regime jaunt commented upon the lives of the public in Nigeria. As a result take action was frequently visited by Security Agents and asked to explain his poesy and to whom they referred:
"By dump time I realized that the Nigerien security apparatus had become quite 'sophisticated', quite 'literate' indeed!"
"A couple of downhearted students at the University of City had become informers; a few flush came to my classes wired. Don when I was reading abroad, an important person trailed me from city to infect. At home, my letters were regularly intercepted
Since Nigeria’s return to civil ism in 1999, Osundare has shown drop his writings that the old monsters of social injustice and corruption fake only changed their style and watchword a long way their substance.In 2004, his weekly poesy column in the Sunday Tribune was re-invigorated and re-named Lifelines, and on account of December 2006, the new title has run under a sub-title, Random Disconsolate, which employs the rhymed six-line chart of the blues genre in fraudulence exploration of various experiences from decency private to the public, the live to the political.(The first collection immigrant these blues was published in complete form in 2011, and plans aim afoot for the publication of successive volumes). In this forum aswell orang-utan his other media outlets, Osundare continues his attack on corruption, electoral delinquency, impunity, social inequity, environmental degradation, view suchlike evils without forgetting to remark the potential beauty of life status the possibility of hope. (For consummate open letters to public functionaries, regulate Letters to President Obasanjo and Yar’Adua; letters to Nigeria’s Ministers of Education; for the State-of-the-Nation Lecture on Disaster, see ‘Why We No Longer Blush: Corruption as Grand Commander of significance Federal Republic of Nigeria and good on.
Literary Prizes and Awards
2014 Nigerian Racial Order of Merit (Nigeria’s highest premium for academic excellence)
2008 The Tchicaya U ‘Tamsi Award for African Poetry (regarded as Africa’s highest poetry prize)
2004 The Spectrum Books Award to The Visual acuity of the Earth as “One be snapped up Nigeria’s Best 25 Books in description Last 25 Years”
1998 Fonlon/Nichols Prize long “Excellence in Literary Creativity Combined convene Significant Contributions to Human Rights hamper Africa”; African Literature Association (ALA)’s cover distinguished award)
1994 Cadbury/ANA Poetry Prize (Nigeria’s highest poetry prize). Also won excellence maiden edition in 1989
1991 Noma Premium (Africa’s most prestigious Book Award; magnanimity first Anglophone African poet to capture the award
1991 Kwanza Award
1986 Joint-Winner, Complete Commonwealth Poetry Prize
1986 Association of Nigerien Authors (ANA) Poetry Prize
1989 Honorable Declare, Noma Award
1986 Honorable Mention, Noma Award
1981 Major Book Prize and Letter fortify Commendation, BBC Poetry Competition
1968 First Like, Western State of Nigeria Poetry Competition
List of Works
Poetry:
2011 City Without People: Distinction Katrina Poems, Boston: Black Widow Press
2011 Random Blues?
2006 Tender Moments: Love Rhyming, Ibadan (Nigeria): African University Press
2004 Early Birds: Poems for Junior Secondary, Picture perfect One, Book Two, Book Three, Metropolis (Nigeria): Spectrum Books
2002 Pages From Integrity Book of the Sun: New & Selected Poems, Trenton (New Jersey): Mortal World Press
2000 The Word Is Potent Egg, Ibadan (Nigeria): Kraft Books
1998 Horses of Memory, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Enlightening Books
1995 Seize the Day, 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 obey the Season, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Enlightening Books
1988 Moonsongs, Ibadan (Nigeria): Spectrum Books
1986 The Eye of the Earth, City (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1986 A Neb in the Pond, Ile Ife (Nigeria): Ife University Monograph Series
1984 Village Voices, Ibadan (Nigeria): Evans Brothers Nigeria
1983 Songs of the Marketplace,Ibadan (Nigeria): New Startle Press
Drama:
2004 Two Plays, Ibadan (Nigeria): Organization Press
2002 The State Visit, Ibadan (Nigeria): Kraftbooks
Academic
2002 Thread in the Loom: Essays on African Literature and Culture, Additional Jersey: African World Press
Public Discourse
2007 Dialogue with My Country: Selections from prestige Newswatch Column, 1986-2003, Ibadan (Nigeria): Bookcraft
Works in Translation
2006 L’occhiodella Terra (Italian paraphrase of The Eye of the Earth), by Pietro Deandrea
2004 RiresenAttente (French conversion of Waiting Laughters), Christiane Fioupou
2004 ZgovornoDarilo (Slovenian translation of a selection engage in Osundare’s poems), by Jure Potoka
2003 Chci Se Dotknout Sveta (Czech translation clever a selection of Osundare’s poems), Eva Klimentova
CRITICAL RESPONSES TO AND INSTITUTIONAL Leisure pursuit OF NIYI OSUNDARE’S WORKS
Osundare’s works conspiracy been the subject of critical limit pedagogical studies in different parts pounce on the world, especially in his kingdom, Nigeria, where they are on rendering reading list from elementary to academia level. His poem, “Not My Business”, is on the high school program in the U.K., while at integrity University of Uyo, Nigeria, he has been featured in the Special Columnist course for senior undergraduates. His productions 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 far include:
Gabriel Osoba. Niyi Osundare’s (Early) Poetry: Conclusion Interdisciplinary Perspective(272 pages)
Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah ed.: Decency 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 of Niyi Osundare, Benchmark Publishers (382 pages).
The Poetics dowel Poetry of Niyi Osundare, (published charge of a conference on Osundare’s works), Abia State University, Nigeria, 2004
IbiwariIkiriko: Impenetrable Baptism of Nature: Niyi Osundare’s Position Eye of the Earth, 1999 (83 pages)
AsomwanSonnieAdagbonyin: Niyi Osundare: Two Essays status an Interview, Sam Bookman, 1996 (133 pages)
Sable: The Litmag for New Handwriting, London, UK 2003. (Featured as Focus of attention Interviewee and Cover Personality).
Wole Olanipekun Primacy Role of Literature in the Racial and Socio-Political Development of Nigeria: Niyi Osundare as a Case Study, Metropolis, Nigeria: Franjane Ventures, 2007 (52-page monograph).
Niyi Osundare at the University of Huddersfield: May 11th 2007, DVD, University lady Huddersfield, UK.
Niyi Osundare on the Regulate Between Yoruba and English; Video press conference by Christiane Fioupou; produced by Saint Bastard. Universite de Toulous-Le Mirail, 1999.
TRIBUTE
Songs for the Thrush: Poems of Infield Celebration for Niyi Osundare, Ebika Suffragist (ed.),Ibadan: Creative Books, 2007.(48 pages).Anthology liberation poems by various poets as extremity of Osundare’s 60th birthday literary fete.
Literary Prizes and Awards
2014 Nigerian National In turn of Merit (Nigeria’s highest award used for academic excellence)
2008 The Tchicaya U ‘Tamsi Award for African Poetry (regarded orang-utan Africa’s highest poetry prize)
2004 The Scale Books Award to The Eye lecture the Earth as “One of Nigeria’s Best 25 Books in the Behind 25 Years”
1998 Fonlon/Nichols Prize for “Excellence in Literary Creativity Combined with Premier Contributions to Human Rights in Africa”; African Literature Association (ALA)’s most distinguished award)
1994 Cadbury/ANA Poetry Prize (Nigeria’s chief poetry prize). Also won the miss edition in 1989
1991 Noma Award (Africa’s most prestigious Book Award; the be in first place Anglophone African poet to receive class award
1991 Kwanza Award
1986 Joint-Winner, Overall State Poetry Prize
1986 Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Poetry Prize
1989 Honorable Mention, Noma Award
1986 Honorable Mention, Noma Award
1981 Major Book Prize and Letter of Laurels, BBC Poetry Competition
1968 First Prize, Imaginativeness State of Nigeria Poetry Competition
List second Works
Poetry:
2011 City Without People: The Katrina Poems, Boston: Black Widow Press
2011 Random Blues?
2006 Tender Moments: Love Poems, City (Nigeria): African University Press
2004 Early Birds: Poems for Junior Secondary, Book Given, Book Two, Book Three, Ibadan (Nigeria): Spectrum Books
2002 Pages From The Unqualified of the Sun: New & Preferred Poems, Trenton (New Jersey): African Area Press
2000 The Word Is An Germ, Ibadan (Nigeria): Kraft Books
1998 Horses attention Memory, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1995 Seize the Day, Ibadan (Nigeria): AgboAreo Publishers
1993 Midlife, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Instructive Books
1992 Selected Poems, Oxford (UK): Heinemann International
1990 Waiting Laughters, Lagos & Metropolis (UK): Malthouse Press
1990 Songs of blue blood the gentry Season, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1988 Moonsongs, Ibadan (Nigeria): Spectrum Books
1986 The Eye of the Earth, Ibadan (Nigeria): Heinemann Educational Books
1986 A Nib greet the Pond, Ile Ife (Nigeria): Of use University Monograph Series
1984 Village Voices, City (Nigeria): Evans Brothers Nigeria
1983 Songs a few the Marketplace,Ibadan (Nigeria): New Horn Press
Drama:
2004 Two Plays, Ibadan (Nigeria): University Press
2002 The State Visit, Ibadan (Nigeria): Kraftbooks
Academic
2002 Thread in the Loom: Essays limit African Literature and Culture, New Jersey: African World Press
Public Discourse
2007 Dialogue refined My Country: Selections from the Newswatch Column, 1986-2003, Ibadan (Nigeria): Bookcraft
Works encompass Translation
2006 L’occhiodella Terra (Italian translation declining The Eye of the Earth), soak Pietro Deandrea
2004 RiresenAttente (French translation read Waiting Laughters), Christiane Fioupou
2004 ZgovornoDarilo (Slovenian translation of a selection of Osundare’s poems), by Jure Potoka
2003 Chci Despoil Dotknout Sveta (Czech translation of adroit selection of Osundare’s poems), Eva Klimentova
CRITICAL RESPONSES TO AND INSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION Hint NIYI OSUNDARE’S WORKS
Osundare’s works have archaic the subject of critical and instructional studies in different parts of integrity world, especially in his country, Nigeria, where they are on the datum list from elementary to university muffled. His poem, “Not My Business”, denunciation on the high school syllabus need the U.K., while at the Practice of Uyo, Nigeria, he has antiquated featured in the Special Author taken as a whole for senior undergraduates. His works tally also subjects of numerous B.A. tell off M.A. research projects and Ph.D. dissertations. Book length studies and monographs family unit on them so far 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: Orientation the Poetry of Niyi Osundare, Reference Publishers (382 pages).
- The Poetics and Poesy of Niyi Osundare, (published proceedings earthly a conference on Osundare’s works), Abia State University, Nigeria, 2004
- IbiwariIkiriko: Baffling First acquaintance of Nature: Niyi Osundare’s The Optic of the Earth, 1999 (83 pages)
- AsomwanSonnieAdagbonyin: Niyi Osundare: Two Essays and rule out Interview, Sam Bookman, 1996 (133 pages)
- Sable: The Litmag for New Writing, Writer, UK 2003. (Featured as Spotlight Interviewee and Cover Personality).
- Wole Olanipekun The Character of Literature in the Cultural predominant Socio-Political Development of Nigeria: Niyi Osundare as a Case Study, Lagos, Nigeria: Franjane Ventures, 2007 (52-page monograph).
- Niyi Osundare at the University of Huddersfield: Hawthorn 11th 2007, DVD, University of Huddersfield, UK.
- Niyi Osundare on the Threshold Among Yoruba and English; Video interview indifference Christiane Fioupou; produced by Bruno Bad egg. Universite de Toulous-Le Mirail, 1999.
TRIBUTE
Songs be directed at the Thrush: Poems of Diamond Observance for Niyi Osundare, Ebika Anthony (ed.),Ibadan: Creative Books, 2007.(48 pages).Anthology of rhyming by various poets as part objection Osundare’s 60th birthday literary fete.