YORUBA WRITERS: A COMPREHENSIVE LIST

Toyin Falola

unread,

Mar 12, 2015, 10:13:37 AM3/12/15

to Yoruba Affairs

Dear all:

I want to embark on a most comprehensive compilation of Yoruba writers since the 19th century. The idea is: a) to compile the list; b) to do an encyclopedia on them; and c) to collect all the materials available and accessible to the next generation in digitized format. Do please find attached and reproduced below a tentative list compiled in collaboration with Dr. Adeshina Afolayan who will be joining me to undertake the project. Do please send to me the names that are omitted. There is a question as to whether we should include writers who are not originally Yoruba.

We are not including all scholars, but those what we can define as creative writers…a tentative working definition, which you can query, is indicated.

E se pupo.

YORUBA WRITERS SINCE THE 19th CENTURY

The concept of a writer is an ambiguous word. On the one hand, it refers to those who use language creatively to create works of fictions. On the other hand, it broadly captures those who simply write. In this project, a “Yoruba writer” is anyone who took the Yoruba culture and tradition serious enough to make a lifelong career out of depicting culture and tradition in fiction and non-fiction.

Should those who will qualify be Yoruba scholars, in name, who write creative works or creative works in or about the Yoruba experience? And what about non-Yoruba who writes about Yoruba experience (e.g., have Karen Barber)?

YORUBA WRITERS SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY

The concept of a writer is an ambiguous word. On the one hand, it refers to those who use language creatively to create works of fictions. On the other hand, it broadly captures those who simply write. In this project, a “Yoruba writer” is anyone who took the Yoruba culture and tradition serious enough to make a lifelong career out of depicting culture and tradition in fiction and non-fiction.

ABIMBOLA, WANDE

ABIODUN, ROWLAND

ABIOLA, J. A. E.

ABIOYE, OLAOYE

ABIRI, J. O. O.

ADE, FEMI OJO

ADEDEJI, JOEL A.

ADEEKO, ADELEKE

ADEGBOYEJE, A.

ADEJUMO, ARINPE GBEKELOLU

ADEJUMOBI, SAHEED YINKA

ADEJUNMOBI, MORADEWUN

ADEKUNLE, TUNDE

ADELAKUN, J. TUNDE

ADELEKE, SUROTOYE ADEOLU

ADENLE, S. A.

ADEOTI, GBEMISOLA

ADEOYE, C. L.

ADESOKA, AKIN

ADETUGBO, A.

ADETUNJI, AKINYELE

ADEYEMI, MOSES CRAIG (1882-1942)

AFOLAYAN, ADEBISI

AFOLAYAN, FUNSO

AFOLAYAN, MICHAEL

AJAYI, JOSEPH ADE (1929-2014)

AJAYI, MICHAEL THOMAS EULER

AJAYI, TOLUWALOGO (1946-

AJIBADE, YEMI (1929-2013)

AJIBOLA, EMMANUEL OLAJUYITAN

AJIBOLA, J. O. (1898-1990)

AJISAFE, A. KOLAWOLE (1875-1940)

AKINJOGBIN, ISAAC

AKINLADE, KOLA

AKINSOWON, AKINDELE

AKINTAN, EMMNAUEL AWOBO (1890-1953)

AKINYELE, ISAAC BABALOLA (1882-1964)

AKIWOWO, AKINSOLA

ALAMU, DOSU

ALAO, ABIMBOLA GBEMI

ALUKO, SAMUEL LOOTUN

ALUKO, TIMOTHY MOFOLORUNSO (1918-2010)

AMAKU, E. A.

AREJE, R. A.

ARIYO, J. O.

AROMOLARAN, ADEBISI

ASIWAJU, I. A.

ATANDA, J. A.

ATAYERO, SAMUEL O. S.

ATILADE, E. A.

AVOSEH, THEOPHILUS OLABODE

AWE, BOLANLE

AWOLALU, J. O.

AWOLO, A. O.

AWONIYI, TIMOTHY A.

AYANDELE, E. A.

AYEJINA, FUNSO

AYOADE, OKEDOKUN

BABAJAMU, MALOMO

BABALOLA, ADEBOYE

BADA, SAMUEL OJO

BADEJO, TOLA

BALOGUN, LEKAN

BAMGBOSE, AYO

BANJO, S. AYO.

BEDFORD, SIMI

BEWAJI, AYOTUNDE

BIOBAKU, SABURI O. (1918-2001)

CROWTHER, SAMUEL AJAYI (1809-1891)

DARAMOLA, OLU

DASYLVA, ADEMOLA OMOBEWAJI

DELANO, ISAAC OLUWOLE (1904-

DOPAMU, P. A.

DUROJAIYE, ADEGOKE

EKUNDAYO, S. A.

EPEGA, DAVID ONADELE (1881-1956)

ESAN, OLANIPEKUN

ESO-OLUBORODE, SUNDAY,

ESUOLA, JOHN

EUBA, FEMI

FABUNMI, M. A.

FADIPE, NATHANIEL AKINREMI

FAFUNWA, ALIU BABATUNDE (1923-2010)

FAGBAMIGBE, OLAIYA

FAGUNWA, DANIEL OLORUNFEMI (1903-1963)

FAKAYODE, FAYEMI FATUNDE

FAKUNLE, FUNMILAYO

FALETI, ADEBAYO

FALOLA, TOYIN

FATANMI, D. J.

FATOBA, FEMI

FOLARIN, ADEBESIN

GBADAMOSI, BAKARE

GBADEGESIN, SEGUN

GIWA, SALAWU CASHIOUS OSOYEMI

IDOWU, E. BOLAJI

ISOLA, AKINWUNMI

JACOBS, D. ABIOLA

JEBODA, FEMI

JEYIFO, BIODUN

JOHNSON, SAMUEL (1846-1901)

KALE, S. I.

KENYO, E. ALADEMOMI

KILANKO, J. O.

KOSEMANII, S.

KUYE, J. G.

LADIPO, DURO (1931-1978)

LADIPO, S. R.

LAGUNJU, ABIMBOLA

LAKERU, J. A.

LANDELE, T. A. A.

LASEBIKAN, EBENEZER LATUNDE

LATUNDE, S. VINCENT

LAWUYI, OLATUNDE BAYO

LOSI, JOHN B.

LUCAS, JONATHAN OLUMIDE

MAJASAN, J. A.

MAKINDE, NAT

OBAFEMI, OLU

OBASA, DENRELE ADETIMKAN (1878-1945)

ODEDEYI, M. B.

ODUJINRIN, J. S. A.

ODUMOSU, JOSEPH (1863-1911)

ODUNJO, JOSEPH FOLAHAN (1904-

ODUTOLA, ODUBANJO

ODUYOYE, MODUPE

OGUNBA, OYINADE

OGUNBIYI, THOS A. J.

OGUNBIYI, YEMI

OGUNBOWALE, P. O.

OGUNDE, HUBERT (1916-1990)

OGUNDEJI, PHILIP ADEDOTUN

OGUNDELE, JOSEPH OGUNSINA

OGUNDIPE, ABIODUN OMOLARA

OGUNLESI, J. S.

OGUNLEYE, AWO

OGUNLEYE, FOLUKE

OGUNMEFU, M. I.

OGUNMOLA, E. K.

OGUNNIRAN, LAWUYI

OGUNTOKUN, WOLE

OGUNTOMISIN, DARE

OGUNYEMI, WALE (1939-2001)

OJO, G. J. AFOLABI

OJO, GABRIEL IBITOYE (1925-1956)

OJO, SAMUEL

OKEDIJI, OLADEJO (1934-

OKUBOTE, MOSES BOTU

OLABIMTAN, AFOLABI (1932-2003)

OLADAPO, OLATUNBOSUN (1943-

OLAFIMIHAN, J. B.

OLAJUBU, I. O.

OLATUNJI, OLATUNDE

OLORUNFEMI, SIMBO

OLUBUNMO, A.

OLUKOJU, E. O.

OLUPONA, JACOB

OLURANKINSE, OLANIPEKUN

OLUSOLA, J. A.

OLUSOLA, SEGUN

OLUWOLE, SOPHIE

OMOTOSO, KOLE

ONADIPE, NATHANIEL KOLAWOLE (1922-1988)

ORESAJO, J. BANKE

OSOFISAN, FEMI

OSUNDARE, NIYI

OSUNJENROLA, OLA R.

OWOLABI, D. K. O.

OWOLABI, OLU

OWOMOYELA, OYEKAN

OYEBAMIJI, MUSTAPHA

OYEDELE, ADEKANMI

OYELESE, O.

OYENAME, OLUBI

OYERINDE, N. D.

OYETADE, SOLOMON OLUWOLE

OYEWUMI, OYERONKE

PHILLIPS, EKUNDAYO

RAJI-OYELADE, REMI

ROTIMI, OLA EMMANUEL GLADSTONE (1938-2000)

SANUSI, A. ADESINA

SEGUN, MABEL

SHONEYIN, TITILOLA ATINUKE

SOBANDE, O. A.

SODIPO, JOHN OLUBI

SOMADE, B.

SOWANDE, BODE

SOWANDE, FELA (1905-1987)

SOWANDE, JOSIAH SOBOWALE (1858-1936)

SOYINKA, WOLE

THOMAS, ISAAC BABALOLA (1888-1963)

TUBI, AGBOOLA

TUGBIYELE, E. A.

TUTUOLA, AMOS (1920-1997)

VAUGHAN, E. AYO

YEMITAN, OLADIPO

Toyin Falola

Department of History

The University of Texas at Austin

104 Inner Campus Drive

Austin, TX 78712-0220

USA

512 475 7224

512 475 7222 (fax)

http://www.toyinfalola.com

http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa

http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs

http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue

YORUBA WRITERS SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY.docx

Toyin Falola

unread,

Mar 12, 2015, 2:28:10 PM3/12/15

to Michael Afolayan, Yoruba Affairs, Adeshina Afolayan

E se o.

Arobiodu is a big oversight!

The reason why the draft is being circulated is to have a compilation that is flawless.

From: Michael Afolayan <mafo...@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Michael Afolayan <mafo...@yahoo.com>
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 2:24 PM
To: UT User <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>, Yoruba Affairs <yoruba...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: YORUBA WRITERS: A COMPREHENSIVE LIST

Ojogbon:

In my humble opinion, the concept "Yoruba Writers . . ." is, positively speaking, as overtly ambiguous as it is comprehensive. It's "the vast blue sky capable of accommodating a million birds without wing-crashing each other." Except if space is dangerously delimiting, I think it would only be more fun (and right) to include ALL writers of Yoruba scripts. Otherwise, leaving out names like R.C. Abraham, David L. Olmstead, JDY Peel, Karin L. "Ajike" Barber, Robert Farris Thompson, Robert Armstrong, E.C. Rowlands, Ida C. Ward, R.D. Hinderer, Pierre "Fatunmbi" Verger, etc. would be like writing the American history - past and present, based solely on the perspectives of Native Americans. What then do we have left? While theirs are critical and central, those of others complete their history. In fact, without some of those non-native Yoruba writers, we may never have had the language as a written tradition.

And BTW, I did not see names like Sobo Arobiodu, Ajisafe, Awobuluyi, Oyelaran, Ajuwon, Yai, Omoboriowo, Lamidi Fakeye, Antonia F. Schleicher, Adejubu (Baba Elegun), Femi Jeboda, Bamiji Ojo, Tubosun Oladapo, Olanrewaju Adepoju, C.L. Adeoye, J.O. Ogundele "Lagbondoko", N.A. Fadipe, etc). They should be included.

Just thinking loud . . .

Michael O. Afolayan

Michael Afolayan

unread,

Mar 12, 2015, 2:31:34 PM3/12/15

to Toyin Falola, Yoruba Affairs, Adeshina Afolayan

E ku ise o!

Michael Afolayan

unread,

Mar 12, 2015, 2:31:34 PM3/12/15

to Toyin Falola, Yoruba Affairs

Ojogbon:

In my humble opinion, the concept "Yoruba Writers . . ." is, positively speaking, as overtly ambiguous as it is comprehensive. It's "the vast blue sky capable of accommodating a million birds without wing-crashing each other." Except if space is dangerously delimiting, I think it would only be more fun (and right) to include ALL writers of Yoruba scripts. Otherwise, leaving out names like R.C. Abraham, David L. Olmstead, JDY Peel, Karin L. "Ajike" Barber, Robert Farris Thompson, Robert Armstrong, E.C. Rowlands, Ida C. Ward, R.D. Hinderer, Pierre "Fatunmbi" Verger, etc. would be like writing the American history - past and present, based solely on the perspectives of Native Americans. What then do we have left? While theirs are critical and central, those of others complete their history. In fact, without some of those non-native Yoruba writers, we may never have had the language as a written tradition.

And BTW, I did not see names like Sobo Arobiodu, Ajisafe, Awobuluyi, Oyelaran, Ajuwon, Yai, Omoboriowo, Lamidi Fakeye, Antonia F. Schleicher, Adejubu (Baba Elegun), Femi Jeboda, Bamiji Ojo, Tubosun Oladapo, Olanrewaju Adepoju, C.L. Adeoye, J.O. Ogundele "Lagbondoko", N.A. Fadipe, etc). They should be included.

Just thinking loud . . .

Michael O. Afolayan

On Thursday, March 12, 2015 9:13 AM, Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:

'Yemi Ademowo Johnson

unread,

Mar 12, 2015, 5:04:27 PM3/12/15

to yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com, Toyin Falola, Yoruba Affairs

OLADIPO, Segun Teju

Thanks

Yemi
On 12/03/2015, 'Michael Afolayan' via Yoruba Affairs

<yoruba...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
> Ojogbon:
> In my humble opinion, the concept "Yoruba Writers . . ." is, positively
> speaking, as overtly ambiguous as it is comprehensive. It's "the vast blue
> sky capable of accommodating a million birds without wing-crashing each
> other." Except if space is dangerously delimiting, I think it would only be
> more fun (and right) to include ALL writers of Yoruba scripts. Otherwise,
> leaving out names like R.C. Abraham, David L. Olmstead, JDY Peel, Karin L.
> "Ajike" Barber, Robert Farris Thompson, Robert Armstrong, E.C. Rowlands, Ida
> C. Ward, R.D. Hinderer, Pierre "Fatunmbi" Verger, etc. would be like writing
> the American history - past and present, based solely on the perspectives of
> Native Americans. What then do we have left? While theirs are critical and
> central, those of others complete their history. In fact, without some of
> those non-native Yoruba writers, we may never have had the language as a
> written tradition.
> And BTW, I did not see names like Sobo Arobiodu, Ajisafe, Awobuluyi,
> Oyelaran, Ajuwon, Yai, Omoboriowo, Lamidi Fakeye, Antonia F. Schleicher,
> Adejubu (Baba Elegun), Femi Jeboda, Bamiji Ojo, Tubosun Oladapo, Olanrewaju
> Adepoju, C.L. Adeoye, J.O. Ogundele "Lagbondoko", N.A. Fadipe, etc). They
> should be included.
> Just thinking loud . . .
> Michael O. Afolayan
>
> On Thursday, March 12, 2015 9:13 AM, Toyin Falola
> <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:
>
>

> Dear all:I want to embark on a most

> comprehensive compilation of Yoruba writers since the 19th century. The idea
> is: a) to compile the list; b) to do an encyclopedia on them; and c) to
> collect all the materials available and accessible to the next generation
> in digitized format. Do please find attached and reproduced below a
> tentative list compiled in collaboration with Dr. Adeshina Afolayan who will
> be joining me to undertake the project. Do please send to me the names that
> are omitted. There is a question as to whether we should include writers who

> are not originally Yoruba.We are not including all scholars, but those what
> we can define as creative writers...a tentative working definition, which you

> (fax)http://www.toyinfalola.com http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
>
>
>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Yoruba Affairs" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to yorubaaffair...@googlegroups.com.
> To post to this group, send email to yoruba...@googlegroups.com.
> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>

--
.....
Adeyemi Johnson ADEMOWO
Alumnus, BIARI HSHR' 14, Brown University, Rhode Island, US
Socio-Cultural Studies Section,
General Studies Unit,
Afe Babalola University,
Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State
Nigeria
yemi.a...@abuad.edu.ng
adeyemi...@biari.brown.edu

http://abuad.academia.edu/AdemowoYemiJohnson
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Adeyemi_Ademowo
http://ng.linkedin.com/pub/adeyemi-johnson-ademowo/b/91/1a5

"As an anthropologist, I am concerned with the study of man as a social and
cultural being and the way they interact with each other and society"
......
Projects Director
Humanist Association for Peace and Social Tolerance Advancement (HAPSTA)
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
www.hapstanigeria.net
http://younghumanistasnetwork.net
www.hawkafrica.blogspot.com
+234 8166722200

"Nelson Mandela was a consummate politician. When asked whether he believed
in God, he refused to answer. He said it was a private matter. He honoured
the actions of people regardless of the colour of their skin or their
beliefs."

"To know one is ignorant is to be wiser than a man who knows not even
that" - Socrates

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false
and
by rulers as useful." -Seneca the Younger (c.3 BCE-CE 65)

Toyin Falola

unread,

Mar 13, 2015, 7:36:38 AM3/13/15

to Felix Ayoh'OMIDIRE, yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com, Yoruba Affairs

A ki i ka!

Ogbon ko ni tan laiye ka wa lo sorun

E se o.

TF

Toyin Falola

Department of History

The University of Texas at Austin

104 Inner Campus Drive

Austin, TX 78712-0220

USA

512 475 7224

512 475 7222 (fax)

http://www.toyinfalola.com

http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa

http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs

http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue

From: "fomidire-yahoo.fr Ayoh'OMIDIRE" <fomi...@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: "fomidire-yahoo.fr Ayoh'OMIDIRE" <fomi...@yahoo.fr>
Date: Friday, March 13, 2015 at 5:12 AM
To: "yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com" <yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>, Yoruba Affairs <yoruba...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Yoruba Affairs - Re: YORUBA WRITERS: A COMPREHENSIVE LIST

Dear Baba Falola,

E ku ise opolo o. Following the line of argument of some of our respected elders who have opined on the list (and qualifications?) of personalities to be included in the proposed publication on Yoruba writers, I would like to add that we remember those from the Yoruba diaspora in Latin-America and the Caribbean where writers like Deoscóredes Maximiliano do Santo aka Mestre Didi Axipá (Brazil), Lydia Cabrera (Cuba) and Maureen-Warner Lewis (Trinidad and Tobago) are household names for "Yoruba" practitioners in those countries as pioneer writers of Yoruba language and literature. I am sure there are more from that region, including those from the USA.

E se pupo.

Félix.

Dr. Félix Ayoh'OMIDIRE
Head, Department of Foreign Languages,
Humanities Block I, Room 306A,
Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife, Osun State,
Post Code 220005, Nigeria

Telephone: + 234 806 763 4158

De : 'Yemi Ademowo Johnson <yemij...@gmail.com>
À : yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com
Cc : Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>; Yoruba Affairs <yoruba...@googlegroups.com>
Envoyé le : Jeudi 12 mars 2015 20h58
Objet : Re: Yoruba Affairs - Re: YORUBA WRITERS: A COMPREHENSIVE LIST

> email to yorubaaffairs+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Yoruba Affairs" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to yorubaaffairs+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

Felix Ayoh'OMIDIRE

unread,

Mar 13, 2015, 7:36:57 AM3/13/15

to yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com, Toyin Falola, Yoruba Affairs

Dear Baba Falola,

E ku ise opolo o. Following the line of argument of some of our respected elders who have opined on the list (and qualifications?) of personalities to be included in the proposed publication on Yoruba writers, I would like to add that we remember those from the Yoruba diaspora in Latin-America and the Caribbean where writers like Deoscóredes Maximiliano do Santo aka Mestre Didi Axipá (Brazil), Lydia Cabrera (Cuba) and Maureen-Warner Lewis (Trinidad and Tobago) are household names for "Yoruba" practitioners in those countries as pioneer writers of Yoruba language and literature. I am sure there are more from that region, including those from the USA.

E se pupo.

Félix.

Dr. Félix Ayoh'OMIDIRE
Head, Department of Foreign Languages,
Humanities Block I, Room 306A,
Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife, Osun State,
Post Code 220005, Nigeria

Telephone: + 234 806 763 4158

De : 'Yemi Ademowo Johnson <yemij...@gmail.com>
À : yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com
Cc : Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>; Yoruba Affairs <yoruba...@googlegroups.com>
Envoyé le : Jeudi 12 mars 2015 20h58
Objet : Re: Yoruba Affairs - Re: YORUBA WRITERS: A COMPREHENSIVE LIST

> email to yorubaaffairs+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Yoruba Affairs" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to yorubaaffairs+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

Dele Layiwola

unread,

Mar 14, 2015, 7:43:46 PM3/14/15

to yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com, Toyin Falola, Yoruba Affairs

Thanks Dr Omidire. It is precisely this kind of information that Prof Falola needs to make his compilation comprehensive and global.

E se, a dupe.

Ire o,

DL

Prof. Dele Layiwola
Institute of African Studies
University of Ibadan, Ibadan
Nigeria

From: 'Felix Ayoh'OMIDIRE' via Yoruba Affairs <yoruba...@googlegroups.com>
To: "yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com" <yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com>

Cc: Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>; Yoruba Affairs <yoruba...@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 12:12 PM
Subject: Re: Yoruba Affairs - Re: YORUBA WRITERS: A COMPREHENSIVE LIST

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to yorubaaffair...@googlegroups.com.

Reply all

Reply to author

Forward