Less than 24 hours after his death, the late Prof David Olu Olagoke’s legacy, and most popular play, ‘The Incorruptible Judge’, will be staged today in Freetown, Sierra-Leone.
Also, contrary to earlier reports that put the age of the scholar at 88, his real age was 92 years old as at yesterday when he breath his last.Prof Olagoke died on Saturday October 29, 2022 at his hometown, Ayegbaju-Ekiti in Ekiti State.
However far away in Sierra Leone, capital of Freetown, ‘The Incorruptible Judge’ , his play published in 1962, will be staged this evening at Balanta Academy (Logie Wright Auditorium) at 4.30pm Sunday October 30, 2022. The Academy is located at 27, Liverpool Street, Freetown.
Olagoke was born on January 22, 1934 in Aiyegbaju Ekiti. He attended Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos, 1945-50, University College, Ibadan, 1954-57, Institute of Education, University of London, 1957-58, University of Colchester, Essex, 1967-68; and University of London, 1983-85. He was appointed and served as Education Officer at King’s College, Lagos from 1958-60; Principal Lisabi Grammar School, Abeokuta, 1961-68.
He was later appointed Lecturer II/I, University of Lagos, 1968-76; Senior Lecturer, 1976-84; Associate Professor of English University of Lagos, 1984-87; Professor of English and Dean of Arts, Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti November 1987 and retired in 2002.
Olagoke who was a Longman Research Fellow, University College, London University, 1973-74 authored many plays including ; The Incorruptible Judge, Longman, Evans, 1962; Irokoman and the Woodcaver, London, Evans, 1963; Hakimu Nwadilifu, A Swahili translation of the Incorruptible Judge, Evans; and Death in the Forest, University Press, Ibadan, 1983.
He was a prominent member of the Methodist Church, Aiyegbaju Ekiti.
He was married to Patricia Olajumoke Ayeni in 1960 and the union was blessed with three sons and two daughters.
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