09/08/2024
Tribute to Emeritus Professor Ladipo Ayodeji Banjo, CON, FNAL, NNOM, JP
The Nigeria Prizes Honours the Legacy of a Literary Luminary...
The late Emeritus Professor Emeritus Ladipo Ayodeji Banjo holds an esteemed and unparalleled place in the annals of Nigerian Literature and Letters. His profound influence on education in Nigeria and his legendary contributions to The Nigeria Prize for Literature, the prestigious literary award in Africa, are beyond words.
Joining the Prize administration in 2004 while serving as President of the Nigeria Academy of Letters, Emeritus Professor Banjo held several pivotal roles. He served as a judge, Chairman of the panel of judges, and a member of the administrative committee for the Literature Prize. Later, as Chairman of the Prize’s Advisory Board, he played a crucial role in shaping and elevating the Prize to its prominent status in the Continent. As the longest-serving collaborator, Emeritus Professor Banjo earned his place as one of the founding fathers of the Prize and later in 2021 as the first ever distinguished life-time patron of the Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Today, as Emeritus Professor Banjo is laid to rest, the Board, Management, and Staff of Nigeria LNG Limited honour an academic titan, an inspiring university teacher, a distinguished scholar of the English Language, a mentor of professors, an astute administrator, a polyglot, a language expert, a respected consultant, and a gentleman of the highest order.
He will be fondly remembered, and his legacy will continue to thrive through The Nigeria Prize for Literature.