Niyi Osundare

Niyi Osundare is an essayist, writer for the theatre, lecturer and one of Nigeria's most celebrated poet. He has published 18 volumes of poetry, several plays, essays, articles and criticism. Previously a professor at the English Institute of the University of Ibadan, he is currently Distinguished Professor of English at the University of New Orleans. His poetry combines concepts and traditions of the Yoruba culture with Marxist approaches. He uses mythological concepts to underline his struggle against social injustice and inhumanity.Niyi Osundare’s prizes include the 1991 Noma Award, the 1998 Fonlon-Nichols Award and the 2008 Tchicaya U Tam’si Award for African Poetry, one of Africa’s most prestigious poetry prizes. In 2014 he received the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award, Nigeria’s highest distinction for outstanding creative and intellectual achievement.