Bayo Adebowale (born 6 June 1944) is a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, critic, librarian and founder of the African Heritage Library and Cultural Centre, Adeyipo, Ibadan Oyo State

Early life and education

He was born on 6 June 1944 in

Ibadan Ibadan (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, with a total population of 3,649,000 as of 2021, and over 6 million people within its me ...

, the capital of

Oyo State Oyo State is an inland state in southwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Ibadan, the third most populous city in the country and formerly the second most populous city in Africa. Oyo State is bordered to the north by Kwara State, to the east by Osun ...

, Southwestern

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

into the family of Akangbe Adebowale, who was a farmer. Bayo obtained his

West African School Certificate The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is a type of standardized test in West Africa. Students who pass the exam receive a certificate confirming their graduation from secondary education. It is administered by the West Af ...

from Secondary Modern School Ibadan in 1958 after which he proceeded to St Peter's Teacher College where he received the Grade III certificate in education in 1961. He was admitted to Baptist College in Ede where he obtained a Grade II Teacher certificate. He later on proceeded to the

University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 196 ...

, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree in English Language in 1974 and served the

National Youth Service Corps The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building and the development of the country. There is no military conscription in Nigeria, ...

in 1975, the same year he joined the services of the Western State Public Service Commission as an education officer before he later became an English instructor at Government Trade Centre,

. Three years later (1978), He obtained a master's degree in the English language, the same year he joined the Oyo State College of Education as Lecturer I and was later transferred to the Polytechnic of Ibadan, where he rose to the position of Deputy Rector between 1999 and 2003 having obtained a Doctorate Degree (Ph.d) in Literature in English from the

University of Ilorin University of Ilorin, also known as Unilorin, is a federal government-owned university in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. It was established by a decree of the federal military government in August, 1975. The establishment aimed to implement one o ...

in 1997.

Books authored

He had published hundreds of books, short stories and novels as a prolific writer. His debut novel, '' The Virgin'', was adapted into two Nigerian films: '' The Narrow Path'', a 2006 Nigerian film produced and directed by

Tunde Kelani Tunde Kelani (born 26 February 1948), popularly known as TK, is a Nigerian filmmaker. In a career spanning more than four decades, TK specialises in producing movies that promote Nigeria's rich cultural heritage and have a root in documentation ...

, which starred

Sola Asedeko Sola Asedeko is a Nigerian film actress, film-maker and director. She is popularly known as ''Abeni'' for her lead role in Abeni, a 2006 Nigerian film, produced and directed by Tunde Kelani. Early life Asedeko was born in Lagos State, southwes ...

, and ''The White Handkerchief''. He authored ''Lonely Days'', a book that focus on African culture. He had played a significant role in Black African Literature in English. He also authored a novel titled ''Out of his Mind''. In 1972, his short story, titled ''The River Goddess'' bagged the Western State Festival of Arts Literary Competition and In 1992, his poem, titled ''Perdition'' bagged the Africa Prize in the Index on Censorship International Poetry Competition in London. His work had been used in research and teaching by several universities.

References

External links

Summary Of Lonely Days
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adebowale, Bayo Nigerian male novelists People from Osun State Nigerian male poets University of Ibadan alumni Academic staff of the University of Ilorin Academic staff of The Polytechnic, Ibadan Writers from Ibadan 20th-century Nigerian novelists 20th-century Nigerian poets 21st-century Nigerian novelists 21st-century Nigerian poets Nigerian librarians 1944 births Living people