Renowned Playwright, Akinwunmi Ishola dead at 78

Veteran playwright, Professor Akinwunmi Ishola, has died at the age of 78, a month before his 79th birthday and a year before his 80th birthday.

QED reports that the Playwright, culture activist and scholar, died just before his 79th birthday billed for March 2018.

Famous for his two books that have been made into movies, O LE KU and Efunsetan Aniwura, Ishola died in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Saturday morning, February 17, 2018.

Confirming the death, foremost cinematographer, Tunde Kelani said: “Yes, Prof Ishola died this morning in Ibadan. He has been down for about two years now.”

In the same vein, former presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, confirmed Ishola’s death in a Facebook post.

“Sad to receive the news that Nigeria has lost the legendary writer PROF AKINWUNMI ISOLA, my former lecturer & supervisor; author of O LE KU and EFUNSETAN ANIWURA and others… Rest in Peace Sir…,” Momodu wrote.

Born in Ibadan in 1939, Prof Akinwunmi Ishola attended Labode Methodist School and Wesley College in the capital of the old Western Region of Nigeria.

He studied at the University of Ibadan, earning a B.A. in French. He also earned an M.A. in Yoruba Literature from the University of Lagos in 1978 before commencing academic work as a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University where he was appointed a professor in 1991.

Among his most popular plays are Efunsetan Aniwura, Madam Tinubu, Oleku and Olu Omo.

His works, Oleku, Koseegbe, Saworoide, Agogo Eewo and Campus Queen were adapted to film by Kelani.

He worked with Kelani as a member of a trio which also had Adebayo Faleti and Larinde Akinleye, both late.