The Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) has commended Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State for immortalizing the late Pa Adebayo Faleti with a street renamed in his name.
This was contained in a press release made available to newsmen in Lagos by the National President of the Society, Mr. Wole Adedoyin who is also the Coordinator of Ibadan Book Club (IBC).
According to the release, “It has been long we’ve been clamouring and begging governor Abiola Ajimobi to honour the trio of Late Chief Supo Kosemani , popular anchor of Owe L’esin Oro (an Actor, Yoruba Proverb Expert and Yoruba Culture Advocate), Late Prof. Akinwumi Isola (Yoruba Poet, Actor, Playwright, and Novelist) and the Late Dr. Adebayo Faleti also (an Actor, Poet and Novelist). These three literary personalities had put Yoruba literature on the World Literary Map before they died and they were all from Oyo State.”
It would be recalled that Adebayo Faleti was born 26 December 1921 and died 23 July 2017) was Africa’s first newscaster, Africa’s first stage play Director, Africa’s first film editor and librarian with the first television station in Africa (WNTV/WNBS), Nigeria’s first Yoruba presenter on television and radio alike, a Nigerian poet, journalist, writer, Nollywood films director and actor. He was also known as a Yoruba translator, a broadcaster, TV exponent and pioneer of the first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria Television (WNTV), now known as the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Also Professor Akinwunmi Isola (24 December 1939 – 17 February 2018) was a Nigerian playwright, novelist, actor, dramatist, culture activist and scholar. He was known for his writing in, and his work in promoting, the Yoruba language.
And lastly Chief Supo Kosemani, a former chairman of the Oyo State Council for Arts and Culture.
“We even expected our governor to do more than that for the late Baba Adebayo Faleti. The Cultural Centre at Mokola, Oyo State Library Board and some schools can be renamed in their honour”.
The first young writers body in Nigeria finally urged Governor Abiola Ajimobi to finish his good works by immortalizing the late Prof. Akinwumi Isola and the late Baba Supo Kosemani.
Packaged by Oludotun Ajibola
