Professor Maruf Suraqat Kehinde Animashaun of the Lagos State University (LASU) is set to deliver the university’s 128th inaugural lecture on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with a scholarly exploration of the evolution and intellectual struggles surrounding Arabic literary theory.
The lecture, titled “Gleanings of Curiosities From the Harvest-Fields of Arabic Literary Theory: The Journey, the Agony, and the Milestone,” will take place at the Buba Marwa Auditorium, LASU, Ojo Campus, at 1:30pm.
Professor Animashaun, who is the current Chairman of the LASU Independent Indigene Verification Committee (LASU-IIVC), Director of the LASU Centre for Museums and African Heritage, and the Senate representative on the committee, will use the lecture to examine the historical development, intellectual tensions and major turning points that have shaped classical and modern Arabic literary criticism and poetics.
The lecture will be chaired by the Vice Chancellor of LASU, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello.
A major focus of the presentation will be the historical journey of Arabic literary theory, beginning with early classical rhetoric, known as Balaghah, and Qur’anic aesthetics, through the emergence of systematic critical frameworks that transformed the study of Arabic literature.
The university don is also expected to examine some of the enduring theoretical debates that have confronted Arab literary scholars, including the tension between meaning and expression, innovation and tradition, as well as truth and poetic licence.
He will further highlight seminal texts, influential scholars and paradigm shifts that, according to him, permanently shaped the intellectual tradition of Arabic letters.
The lecture is expected to bring together scholars, researchers, students, policymakers and members of the public with an interest in Arabic language, literature and intellectual history.
The event is open to the public, with guests expected to be seated by 1:30pm.
From Epe to Professor of Arabic
Born in 1968 in Epe, Lagos State, Professor Animashaun was raised by the late Waliyyullah Suraqat Kehinde Animashaun, described as a revered Islamic scholar and Sufi mystic of the Mahdiyyat Islamic Congregation.
He attended Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Epe, and Epe Divisional Grammar School, Ita-Marun, Epe, before proceeding in 1982 to the Arabic and Islamic Training Centre, Agege, popularly known as MARCAZ, where he studied under the renowned Nigerian Arabic and Islamic scholar, Sheikh Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory.
He obtained his Al-Idaadiyyah and Tawjeehiyyah qualifications at MARCAZ and graduated in 1989.
He subsequently proceeded to Lagos State University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arabic Literary Studies in 1992.
Animashaun later obtained a Master’s degree in Public Administration, specialising in Human Resource and Personnel Management, in 1998, as well as an M.A. in Arabic Studies from LASU.
His pursuit of advanced scholarship took him to Malaysia, where he obtained a Ph.D. in Arabic Criticism and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, in 2012.
In 2013, he also earned an M.Ed. in Educational Management from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor. He later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from LASU in 2018 and subsequently completed his professional requirements with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
Academic Career
Professor Animashaun joined the service of LASU and the Department of Foreign Languages, rising through the academic ranks to become a professor in 2023.
His academic progression included appointments as Graduate Assistant, Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer II, Lecturer I, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor before attaining the rank of Professor.
He served as Programme Coordinator for Arabic Part-Time between 2007 and 2008 and as Arabic Coordinator for the Sandwich Degree Programme from 2013 to 2017.
He was Head of the Department of Foreign Languages between 2019 and 2020.
In 2021, he was appointed Director of the university’s Centre for Museums and African Heritage, a position he still holds. He was also appointed Chairman of the LASU Independent Indigene Verification Committee in 2022.
Professor Animashaun has participated in numerous local and international academic conferences and scholarly engagements across several countries, including the United States, Egypt, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Brunei and Rwanda.
The professor is married and has children.