OUTSTANDING YORUBA CULTURAL ICONS HONORED AT BABCOCK UNIVERSITY
Toyin Falola
The University of Texas at Austin
Three outstanding Yoruba icons, Prince (Dr.) Yemisi Shyllon, Professor Pamela J. Smith, and Prof Akintunde Akinyemi, were honored at the 6th J. A. Atanda Lectures and Conference, which commenced on Monday, June 21st, 2021, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo. They were honored for their contributions to the development, propagation, and preservation of Yoruba culture.
The Léopold Sédar Senghor Prize for African Cultural Creativity and Impact, an award given to an African creative talent or artist of any medium or form whose works are devoted to harnessing African cultural heritages for social consciousness and impact, was presented to Prince (Dr.) Yemisi Shyllon, making him the second recipient of the prestigious award, following Tunde Kelani. Prince (Dr.) Yemisi Shyllon's contributions to harnessing African cultural heritages are undoubtedly immense, seeing as he owns one of the most extensive private collection of arts in Africa. However, his contributions to African arts and culture are not limited to artworks. He also runs the Yemisi Shyllon Art Foundation, through which he has contributed to the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art at the Pan-Atlantic University and the educational journey of many artists from Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Professor Pamela J. Smith received the J. A. Atanda Distinguished Award for Yoruba Creativity and Translation for her immeasurable projection of Yoruba culture and literature to the world through translation. Pamela Smith is an emeritus professor at the University of Nebraska. In addition to her distinguished career as an academic, researcher, and African literary scholar, she has worked on the translation of many notable Yoruba books, such as the works of D. O. Fagunwa and Akinwumi Isola. Professor Smith is a "translator of translators" who has committed her life and intellectual resources to the translation, preservation, and propagation of Yoruba literature. She is a worthy recipient of the J. A. Atanda Award for Yoruba Creativity and Translation.
Likewise, Professor Akintunde Akinyemi received the J. A. Atanda Distinguished Award for Yoruba Studies. The award was presented to Professor Akinyemi for his prominence in Yoruba and how that has contributed substantially to the study of the Yoruba language and people in Africa and the diaspora. The University of Florida professor has made his mark in studying languages, cultures, and people, and he is most known for his notable contributions to the study and promotion of African oral literature. In addition, he has written several academic papers and conducted many US government-funded studies on the Yoruba race. Aside from his comprehensive research, Professor Akinyemi is a respected scholar who has been honored time and again for his excellence in the field of pedagogy.
The opening ceremony of the 6th J. A. Atanda Lectures and Conference served as an avenue to honor these three outstanding scholars and to endow a one million prize for the best graduating student in the area of language and literature.
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