Renowned Nigerian scholar and dramatist, Prof. Kole Omotoso, is dead.
He died at the age of 80 in South Africa where he had been sick for a while.
Omotoso’s family in a statement confirming his death, described the late scholar as a beloved father.
“Our beloved father and husband moved on from this plane on Wednesday 19th late afternoon,” the family wrote in a statement sent to journalists.
They will share more information with the public as they gather themselves, they said while thanking friends of the family for their care, love and support.
Born April 21, 1943, Omotoso was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents after the death of his father. Though the lack of a father figure could crush a young Nigerian boy, the events of his early childhood contributed a great deal to his development as a man and also as a writer. Omotoso was educated at King’s College, Lagos, and the University of Ibadan and then undertook a doctoral thesis on the modern Arabic writer Ahmad Ba Kathir at the University of Edinburgh.
His written work is known for its dedication and commitment to fusing a socio-political reappraisal of Africa and respect for human dignity. Some of the works of fiction by Omotoso include The Edifice, The Combat, Miracles, Fela’s Choice, Sacrifice, and The Scales.
