President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a congratulatory message to renowned poet, Niyi Osundare, as the bard celebrates his 70th birthday.
The president congratulated the poet via a Facebook post, on Sunday, March 12.
Just In: President Buhari sends out heartfelt message in celebration of great poet Osundare
The post reads:
“Let me join the literary world in congratulating the renowned academic, poet, columnist and dramatist, Professor Niyi Osundare, on his 70th birthday. I celebrate his disciplined, forthright and diligent spirit, and his voice of wisdom that will continue to resonate through generations to come.
I pray that the Almighty God will grant Prof. Osundare longer life, good health and more wisdom to serve humanity.”
Professor Osundare was born in Ikere-Ekiti in 1947. His early education began at St. Luke’s Primary School and Amoye Secondary School, both in Ikere-Ekiti, before he moved on to the Christ School, Ado-Ekiti.
He had degrees at the University of Ibadan (BA), the University of Leeds (MA) and York University, Canada (PhD, 1979). He was professor (from 1989) and Head of English (1993–97) at the University of Ibadan.
He became professor of English at the University of New Orleans in 1997. Osundare and his wife, Kemi, have three children, two daughters and a son who lives in Nigeria.
He is a holder of numerous awards for his poetry, as well as the Fonlon/Nichols award for “excellence in literary creativity combined with significant contributions to Human Rights in Africa”.
In 2014, he was given national recognition, when he was awarded the Nigerian National Merit Award for Academic Excellence.
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