Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, has confirmed the death of
Nigerian-born Canadian professor, writer and literary critic Pius
Adesanmi.
Adesanmi died when an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed Sunday morning
en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi. A total of 157 persons died in the
crash.
“Pius was a towering figure in African and post-colonial scholarship and
his sudden loss is a tragedy,” said Benoit-Antoine Bacon, president and
vice-chancellor.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all those who knew and
loved him, and with everyone who suffered loss in the tragic crash in
Ethiopia.”
Adesanmi joined Carleton in 2006.
He graduated from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria in 1992. He received
his M.A. in French from the University of Ibadan in 1998 and PhD in French
Studies at the University of British Columbia in 2002.
“The contributions of Pius Adesnami to Carleton are immeasurable,” said
Pauline Rankin, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
“He worked tirelessly to build the Institute of African Studies, to share
his boundless passion for African literature and to connect with and
support students. He was a scholar and teacher of the highest calibre who
leaves a deep imprint on Carleton.”