18th February, 2018
Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
The art community is mourning the demise of the great icon and promoter of Yoruba culture, Professor Akinwumi Isola who died on Friday at his Ibadan residence.
In a chat with PMNEWS, the widow of the deceased, Mrs. Adebola, and his two children, Akinjide and Oluwatoyin confirmed that the erudite writer who used his works to promote the Yoruba language died around 9:30am.
According to them, the remains of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue at the University of Ibadan, UI.
Among the early callers at the residence of the deceased were a playwright, a linguist of international repute who supervised the PhD thesis of the deceased, Professor Femi Osofisan, Professor Ayo Bamgbose, Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, Professor Kolawole Owolabi and Professor Duro Adeleke.
Commenting on the demise of Isola, Bamgbose said: “Akinwumi is my student. He is an international man. He is a literary icon. He is an honest man. If he had joined politics or meddled up with politicians, they would have soiled his name. He is my brilliant PhD student. I feel bad about his death. I have made up my mind that I will no longer write in the condolence register for any younger one that died before me but can I do that now? I cannot do that. I have to write something for Akinwumi Isola.