LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Nigeria’s intellectual landscape is in mourning following the passing of Emeritus Professor Biodun Jeyifo, the towering Marxist critic and postcolonial scholar who redefined African literary discourse.
The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), officially announced that the 80-year-old academic, affectionately known to generations as “Professor BJ,” breathed his last on Wednesday, February 11. NAL President Professor Andrew Haruna, confirmed the news in a somber statement, marking the end of a golden era for global scholarship.
Jeyifo’s stellar trajectory began at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where he emerged as a fearless voice in Nigerian academia before taking his brilliance to the world stage. He eventually held prestigious dual appointments at Cornell and Harvard Universities, bridging the gap between local heritage and international ivory towers.
Highlighting Jeyifo’s role as one of Africa’s most influential thinkers, Haruna noted, “He was widely respected for his scholarship in African literature and drama, as well as for his work in Marxist literary criticism.”
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The news of his death comes as a shock to the literary community, particularly because global scholars and admirers had recently gathered at the MUSON Centre in Lagos on January 5, 2026, to celebrate his 80th birthday. That star-studded international event served as a living testament to his enduring legacy, attracting a diverse crowd of intellectuals who viewed him as a bridge between postcolonial theory and active social criticism.
Haruna’s tribute echoed this sentiment, stating that Jeyifo remained “one of Africa’s most influential voices” until his final moments.
Tributes are now flooding in from literary circles across the globe, with many remembering him not just for his pen, but for his mentorship of countless African writers and thinkers. The Nigerian Academy of Letters expressed deep regret over the loss, with Haruna praying for “God to comfort the family he left behind” and for his “gentle soul to rest in peace.”
Final funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the family shortly, with a major academic procession anticipated to honour his monumental contributions to the humanities.
