A Professor of African Literature at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Busuyi Mekusi, has called for the revival of literature as a vehicle for addressing Africa’s deep-rooted socio-cultural and political challenges.
Prof. Mekusi made the call on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, while delivering the university’s 48th Inaugural Lecture titled “The Danger of Forgetting: Afromorphs, Literature and Memory.”
He argued that literature possesses therapeutic power, capable of healing individuals and societies by reflecting past traumas and offering paths to renewal.
According to him, African societies cannot ignore the role of literature in resolving contradictions ranging from corruption and bad governance to infrastructural decay and institutional collapse.
“Written works and satire on national malaise should not be dismissed as outbursts of disgruntled writers but recognised as patriotic interventions aimed at desirable adjustments,” he said.
The don stressed that pop culture, music, and oral traditions preserved in literature could serve as tools for re-orienting the youth and rebuilding values.
He urged governments at all levels to approve and promote texts that focus on Africa’s renaissance, noting that such works will help socialise and educate future generations.
Prof. Mekusi also warned African writers against pandering to foreign sponsors by commercialising works that undermine societal values, insisting that literature must remain central to human imagination and national growth.
He further called for stronger collaboration between universities and the private sector to harness ideas from research, theses, and inaugural lectures for solving Nigeria’s pressing problems.
“Just as governments support science and technology, literature must also be developed—digitally and otherwise—to respond to contemporary realities,” he added.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of AAUA, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, who chaired the event, commended Prof. Mekusi for his scholarly and administrative contributions to the growth and ranking of the institution.
