Nigeria, Jan. 7 -- On 14 December 1987, when we learnt that Dr Biodun Jeyifo had resigned from the University of Ife, the anger was palpable at the Murtala Muhammed Hall, the main hostel for postgraduate students. The next day, with long faces, O.J. Gochua, Femi Dunmade, Dapo Adeniyi, Dele Momodu, Femi Folorunso and I went to BJ's home to have a conversation with him on his years at Ife. The Guardian newspaper, on 2 February 1988, published the first part of that interview titled "For Biodun Jeyifo, An Era Ends at Ile-Ife." BJ spoke expansively about his love of literature; his intimacy with words; his reputation for being extremely impatient and rascally in his younger days; his audacity to challenge, on behalf of other less articulate a...