On January 5, 2026, the global intellectual community gathered to celebrate the 80th birthday of Professor Biodun Jeyifo (fondly known as BJ). As a titan of literary criticism, a foundational figure in African postcolonial studies, and a fearless labor activist, Jeyifo’s 80-year journey represents a bridge between radical scholarship and transformative social action.
Professor Jeyifo is widely regarded as the world’s preeminent authority on the works of Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. His seminal book, Wole Soyinka: Politics, Poetics, and Postcolonialism (2004), is considered the definitive study of Soyinka’s corpus.
At the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in the 1970s and 80s, BJ led an “ideological revolution.” He shifted the study of literature away from British classical traditions toward a radical sociological approach that made literature relevant to the African experience. His career spans the world’s most prestigious institutions, holding Emeritus status at both Cornell University and Harvard University.
The “BJ” Method
Former students—from renowned journalists to legal scholars—describe his teaching as “intellectually demanding and personally transformative,” emphasizing close reading and the moral responsibility of the intellectual.
The Activist: “The First President”
Beyond the ivory tower, Jeyifo’s legacy is etched into the history of Nigerian civil society.
ASUU Leadership: He served as the founding National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Under his leadership, the union became a formidable force for academic freedom and social justice, challenging military regimes and advocating for the “Talakawa” (the common people).
Journalism for the Masses: For decades, BJ has maintained a presence in the public square through his weekly columns in The Guardian and The Nation, using his “Talakawa Liberation Forum” to critique power and champion egalitarianism.
To mark his octogenarian milestone, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) hosted a landmark symposium in Lagos on January 5, 2026. The Theme: “Who is Afraid of Decolonisation?” reflected BJ’s lifelong preoccupation with the “unfinished work” of decolonising knowledge and society.
The event was attended by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, and keynote speaker Professor Priya Gopal from Cambridge.
Reflecting on his life, BJ noted with characteristic humility and gravity that while he was “lucky” to reach 80, the state of Nigeria—specifically the failure of healthcare and education systems—remained a “damning indictment” of the postcolonial project. He urged the younger generation to move beyond mere “reforms” toward true social transformation.
I have been lucky in my students; many became like younger brothers and sisters to me. The places I feel safest and most cherished are with my former students,” he said.
A Legacy in Motion
Biodun Jeyifo at 80 is not a figure of the past, but a living compass for the future. He remains a “Radical Humanist” who proves that the life of the mind is most vibrant when it is lived in service of human dignity.
