Wole Soyinka led members of the National Association of Seadogs in a ceremonial farewell for renowned scholar Biodun Jeyifo during his burial in Ibadan.
It was a solemn yet symbolic farewell on Wednesday as Wole Soyinka led members of the National Association of Seadogs to pay their final respects to renowned scholar Biodun Jeyifo at the St James the Great Cathedral Burial Ground. Jeyifo, a distinguished literary critic, public intellectual, Marxist scholar and committed trade unionist, died on February 11, barely one month and five days after family, friends and former students celebrated his 80th birthday in Lagos.
As mourners from across the country quietly filed into the cemetery, including members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, where Jeyifo served as pioneer president, members of the Pyrates Confraternity were already assembled, dressed in their traditional white shirts, black trousers and red regalia. They sang, drummed and danced in their customary “sailing” ritual while awaiting the arrival of Soyinka.
Moments later, the Nobel laureate arrived and led the ceremonial procession. Holding a sword aloft, Soyinka walked solemnly towards Jeyifo’s graveside as fellow Pyrates sailed alongside him, chanting traditional confraternity songs, including the well-known refrain: “Another sayle, Jellu sayle / Pyrates are sailing to Tortuga.”
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