On Saturday, August 16th, legendary poet Niyi Osundare held court at RovingHeights Bookstore in Bodija, Ibadan, for Invocations of the Word: A Day of Poetry and Conversations. The event, serving as a stirring prelude to the inaugural Ibadan Book and Arts Festival (IbaFest), drew a distinguished gathering of scholars, poets, journalists, and book lovers who came to celebrate the power of storytelling and reflect on the state of the nation.

The three-hour literary gathering brought together an impressive roster of Nigeria’s literary establishment, including Prof. Femi Osofisan, Dr. Ayodeji Shittu, Prof. Mark Osama Ighile, Prof. Nelson Fashina, and Prof. Adeshina Afolayan, alongside rising poets like Pamilerin Jacob, Obafemi Thanni, and Flourish Joshua.

In one particularly memorable moment, Osundare declared with characteristic boldness: “We have no country yet!” sharing his recent experiences as a Nigerian citizen and lamenting the systemic failures that “disable rather than empower” its people. He shared his reflections on the challenges facing Nigeria, telling the audience: “Nigeria disables its citizens, it rarely does anything for them, and it also prevents them from doing anything for themselves. It is difficult to stand on your own to speak the truth.”

Festival Director Servio Gbadamosi expressed heartfelt gratitude to attendees, noting that the gathering represented years of dreaming: “It’s not just another book reading—it’s a return to where it all began: Ibadan.” For the festival organizers, the moment was deeply significant. “When we conceived IbaFest, we knew we needed to begin with the voices that shaped our literary consciousness,” Gbadamosi shared. “Professor Osundare represents that foundational voice—uncompromising, rooted, and eternally hopeful despite everything.”

The event featured spirited conversations moderated by renowned journalists Michael Olatunbosun and Oluwaseun Akinola, who probed Osundare on everything from maintaining sanity in Nigeria to his satirical critique of the judiciary. When asked about his literary legacy, Osundare demurred with characteristic humility: “That is for the future and the people to decide—whether my pluses beat out my minuses.”

The event successfully set the stage for the inaugural Ibadan Book and Arts Festival, themed “The Past as Prologue to the Future,” scheduled for October 24-25, 2025, at the University of Ibadan’s International Conference Centre.

Pictures from the event: