The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) has named His Royal Majesty, Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, CFR, mni, the Obi of Onitsha, as one of its Honorary Fellows for 2025. 5.
The announcement was made following the Academy’s College of Fellows meeting on Tuesday, 8 July 2025.
Two notable figures in Nigerian media, Mr. Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo, former Editor of The Guardian on Sunday and Dr. Lasisi Olagunju, Editor of Tribune on Sunday, were also named the recipient of this prestigious award.
Their selection underscores the Academy’s growing emphasis in honouring excellence and leadership in humanity and cultural practice beyond the walls of the academia.
In addition to the honorary fellows, 12 distinguished scholars were elected as Regular Fellows, representing disciplines such as Classical Studies, Literary Studies, Communication and Media Studies, and Linguistics.
Professor Akinwumi Ogundiran, a noted historian based abroad, was also elected as an Overseas Fellow.
The Academy will formally confer the fellowships and other recognitions during its 27th Convocation, scheduled for August 14th 2025 at the University of Lagos.
The ceremony will also feature the conferment of the Awards of Excellence in Humanistic Practice on Mr. Laolu Ogunniyi, Alhaji Teju Kareem, and Mr. Musa Alao Adedayo.
Prof. Sola Akinrinade, FNAL, President of the Academy, announced the honorees and expressed the institution’s commitment to celebrating contributions to humanistic thought and cultural development.
