Meet 45-year-old Nigerian professor who is changing the face of literary arts in Canada

There are some Nigerians who have been identified for the remarkable works they have been doing. The development of the nation as a whole is a priority to people like this as they do all that they can to make Nigeria remain relevant.

Amidst the technological advancement being talked about all over the world, some Nigerians have made it their core duty to move the nation forward with their activities and achievements.

In order to appreciate these people, they have been selected based on geographical location to focus on 100 northerners who have contributed immensely to the development of the nation.

These people have been found to be outstanding in every way and have been mentioned on Twitter with the hashtag 'Arewa'. In the immediate past year, they have been active and have worked hard to contribute their own quota to Nigeria's growth.

Pius Adesanmi was listed as one of the legends of Arewa. He is a public intellectual and academician who has made Nigeria proud. He is a professor of Literature and African studies who has been recognised as one of the continent's most influential public intellectual.

He has been made the director of Institute of African studies at Carleton University in Canada.

Check out more amazing facts about Pius Adesanmi:

1. Professor Adesanmi hails from Kogi state

Pius Adesanmi was born in February 1972 to the family of Alfred and Lois Adesanmi in Isanlu, Yagba East local government area of Kogi state.

He is from the minor group of Yorubas in that state. Having come from parents who are educationists, it is not a major surprise that he ended up as an academician himself. His upbringing was thorough and spartan.

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2. He is an academician and public affairs commentator

The 45-year-old professor has always been a man driven by the quest for knowledge. He got his B.A from University of Ilorin in 1992.

He proceeded to University of Ibadan where he got his M.A in French (1998). He got his doctorate degree (French studies) from the University of British Columbia in 2002.

Pius Adesanmi is a writer known for his beautiful works of art. His piece "Africa is not a continent" earned him the 2013 prize for African writing. He is a columnist who is well known for his numerous published opinions online.

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3. His love for books led him to writing

Mr Adesanmi's love for books led him to writing. His parents were 'old-school' educationists within the framework of colonialist missionary institutions in Nigeria.

They had a library in the house and he cultivated a reading habit from that point. His childhood memories revolve around books as he had the opportunity to read many books while growing. He is presently a professor of English at Carleton University.

4. Pius Adesanmi is a celebrated award winner

His scope of writing is eclectic; he loves to come up with articles that cut across different trends. His recent activities have a lot to do with social media revolution in Africa and postcolonial world. He is on a mission to discover how social media affects the materiality of literature and culture.

Many of his works have been nominated for awards. He was the winner of the Penguin Prize for African Writing (Non-fiction) in 2010. He was also nominated for a 2012 Capital Educators' Award.

The Erasmus Teaching Award, Penn State University, Spring 2006 was also given to him. Professor Pius Adesanmi also won the Association of Nigerian Author's Poetry Prize in 2001. He has delivered lectures in different parts of the world.