Nation Bids Farewell To Biodun Jeyifo As Tinubu, Soyinka Honour His Legacy

IBADAN, OYO – Nigeria on Wednesday paid its final respects to foremost literary scholar and activist, Biodun Jeyifo, whose burial in Ibadan marked the end of an era in the country’s intellectual and academic history.

The late professor, widely known as BJ, died on February 11 at the age of 80, Truth live news international reports.

From the solemn lying-in-state at his Oke-Bola residence to the interment at St. James the Great Anglican Church Cemetery, Ijokodo, the ceremonies reflected the breadth of a life that spanned continents yet remained firmly rooted in Nigeria.

President Bola Tinubu, in a tribute, described Jeyifo as “a towering figure in Nigeria’s academic and cultural landscape,” noting that his commitment to intellectual freedom and social justice would continue to inspire future generations.

“He stood firmly for democratic values and the dignity of the Nigerian scholar,” the President stated.

At the evening of tributes held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, colleagues, students and associates reflected on the scholar’s enduring influence.

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka recalled their early academic encounters, saying, “BJ was clearly a first-class intellect from the beginning. He possessed an unusual depth and intensity that set him apart.”

Jeyifo’s academic journey began at the University of Ibadan before he proceeded to New York University for his postgraduate studies.

Over the course of his distinguished career, he lectured at institutions including Cornell, Harvard, Cambridge and other global centres of scholarship, establishing himself as a leading voice in African drama, Marxist criticism and postcolonial studies.

Yet, beyond the lecture halls and scholarly publications, tributes consistently returned to his role as an activist. As the first President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, he was remembered for defending academic autonomy during periods of political turbulence.

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Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, noted that Jeyifo “did not merely theorise about justice; he confronted injustice directly.”

Speakers also revisited episodes from his youth that foreshadowed his lifelong advocacy.

His expulsion from Ibadan Boys’ High School after leading a protest against poor boarding conditions was cited as an early sign of his defiant commitment to fairness.

Family members offered more intimate reflections. His children spoke of a father who balanced intellectual rigour with warmth and storytelling.

One described him as “a man whose conversations lingered long after they ended,” while another recalled his habit of turning ordinary family drives into reflective life lessons.

Former colleagues emphasised that Jeyifo’s influence cannot be measured solely by his books or lectures. Prof. Chris Piwuna, President of ASUU, stated, “The structure of engagement that Nigerian academics rely on today carries his imprint.”

As mourners dispersed after the burial, the atmosphere was marked less by finality than by continuity. For many present, Jeyifo’s voice remains embedded in classrooms, union halls and public discourse.

In the words shared during the tribute session, “His body rests, but his ideas will continue to argue, question and illuminate.”