Nigerian American poet, playwright and philosopher, Akinyemi Cash Onadele (Aiyeko-ooto) has donated some of his 109 titles, and endowed an annual N1 million literature prize at Loyola College, Ibadan, his alma mater.
The book donation and endowment event held earlier in the week at the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Hall of Loyola College, and was attended by the author’s father, Chief S. A. Onadele; members of the Loyola College Old Boys Association (1979 set), the principal, teachers and students of the college.
Onadele, who is the Chairman of the 1979 Old Boys of the school, said that he was not only giving back to the secondary school he attended but also promoting better understanding and appreciation of literature in English and Yoruba.
According to him, “my return here comes with a strong feeling of nostalgia to donate some of my works to the school library. It is not only ironic but instructive that during my time at Loyola and in my further education, i was a science scholar but today i am back here as a literary arts practitioner with over 109 titles in subjects that were not my favourites.
“My admonition therefore to you current students is not to foreclose or discountenance anything in life as life presents all kinds of opportunities in the most unlikely places. Today , i am back to give back in an area which i lacked during my time here”.
The school’s principal, Mr. Akinade Akinlayo appreciated Onadele for the gesture, disclosing that literature in Yoruba and English were the two subjects with the lowest grades and overall performance at the final school leaving examinations in the state.
He said: “The books donation to the school library and the annual Aiyeko-ooto Youth Literature N1 million Endowment will assist greatly in improving the performance of our students in Yoruba and English literature. This will also motivate the teachers who are going to be incorporated as an integral.part of the endowment. So it is a win-win to all of us at Loyola College Ibadan”.
Onadele is in the country to participate in the 25th edition of the Lagos Book and Art Festival and will be showcasing his works and engaging the library community on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th November at Freedom Park, Lagos, venue of the festival.
