Renowned playwright and scholar, Professor Femi Osofisan, has stressed the need for African literature to draw from indigenous cultures, languages and oral traditions, arguing that such an approach is essential for preserving identity, promoting social justice and making literature accessible to ordinary people.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with PrimeStar News Online, Osofisan said his consistent blending of Yoruba oral traditions with contemporary issues stems from a desire to create literature that reflects African realities rather than foreign experiences.

According to the literary icon, much of the literature introduced to Africans during colonial education was disconnected from local realities.

“The literature we were given to read came largely from abroad. We had ‘A for Apple’ when many of us did not even know what an apple looked like,” he said.

He argued that literature should reflect the people, environment and concerns of its audience, adding that African cultures and literary traditions are not inferior to those of other societies.

“Our literature and culture are not inferior to those of other societies. In many respects, they are even superior. If we fail to recognise this, we will continue to depend on the West,” he stated.

Osofisan noted that the dominance of English in education, literature and governance created barriers for many Nigerians, especially during the early post-colonial years when only a small percentage of the population could read or speak the language.

He observed that many ordinary Nigerians were excluded from important social and legal processes because official communication was conducted in English.

He stated, “You go to court, and the charges are read to you in a language you do not understand,” adding that the system largely favoured the educated elite.

The professor said his background influenced his commitment to producing works that ordinary people could understand, adding, “I came from a poor family, and I was very conscious of these realities. I therefore resolved to write literature that ordinary people could understand.”

He further called for the use of simple and accessible language in literary works, even when they are written in English.

Addressing the issue of ethnicity in Nigeria, Osofisan said ethnic loyalties often hinder accountability and justice, especially when artistic works confront corruption or social misconduct.

He explained that writers who portray characters from ethnic groups other than their own are sometimes accused of bias or tribalism, allowing wrongdoing to escape scrutiny.

According to him, these realities have strengthened his conviction that African writers must develop artistic forms that transcend ethnic divisions while remaining rooted in indigenous cultures.

“We must create artistic forms that are indigenous to us, forms that people will recognise as distinctly African,” he said.

The playwright also expressed concern over the declining knowledge of Yoruba language and culture among younger generations, urging efforts to revive indigenous languages and cultural education.

He, however, emphasised that cultural revival should not amount to an uncritical return to the past.

“It is important to know how our people lived and what they believed, but that does not mean we must continue to do everything exactly as it was done in the past. Circumstances have changed,” he said.

Osofisan also reflected on changing attitudes toward traditional African religions and indigenous knowledge systems.

He recalled that traditional deities such as Sango and Ogun were once widely condemned as pagan practices, leading to the destruction of shrines, statues and sacred groves.

According to him, society has become more open to understanding indigenous belief systems, including Ifa, as alternative sources of knowledge and wisdom.

He stressed that studying Ifa or traditional African beliefs does not conflict with Christianity or Islam.

“Learning about Ifa does not prevent anyone from attending church or mosque. It simply reminds us that our people were not empty. They had their own systems of solving problems and organising society,” he said.

Osofisan maintained that understanding indigenous knowledge systems, languages and cultural traditions remains essential for building a confident African identity and creating literature that genuinely reflects the experiences of African people.