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Mary AIYETORO

Assistant Professor
college of Liberal Studies (COLBS)
English Programme

Mary Bosede Aiyetoro (Ph.D) is an Assistant Professor, Head of Programme, English Programme and Deputy Director, Directorate of Students Support Services at Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria with a doctorate degree in English Literature from the University Of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a Fellow of Ife Institute of Advance Studies (IIAS) She conducts researches in African Literature, her area of specialisation is Literary history, with specific interest in publishing and new writing, using New Historicism and Postcolonial theories as her dominant interpretive and analytical tools of research. She has published articles and book chapters in both national and international platforms. She is a member of African Literature Association (ALA), The Women’s Caucus of the African Association (WOCALA).

Education
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 2016; University of Ibadan, Ibadan. Areas of Specialisation: African Literature
  • Master of Arts (M.A.) (English Language) 2005; University of Ibadan, Ibadan
  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Hons.) (English) 2000; University of Ibadan, Ibadan
Research

(i) Completed: 

  • Aiyetoro, M. B. and Oripeloye H. Poetics of Trauma in Toni Kan’s Songs of Absence and Despair

(ii) In Progress with summary: 

  • A Biographical Survey of Selected Works of Mabel Segun
    This article traces the presentation of Mabel Segun’s works and her life as a writer with specific reference to the reflection of her personality in her works. This study engages how her background has served as an inspiration for her writing a general overview of her works in terms of thematic concerns, styles, techniques and language. 
    This study locates the status and place of Mabel Segun in African Literature, particularly Nigerian Literature. Thus, the work is on the premises that it is impossible to talk about Nigerian literature without making reference to the works of this female literary icon.
  • Intra-religious Terrorism in Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday
    The origin of violence, kidnap and suicide bombing, as expressions of Islamic revolution from a religious sect in Nigeria, can be traced to the northern part of Nigeria in 2011. This revolution against the government ̶ terrorism ̶ has gradually spread to other parts of the country, led to loss of lives and defined Nigeria as an unsafe state among the nations of the world. This study discussed the literary portrayal of this societal menace and explains how these religious extremists from the northern part of Nigeria adopt violence in their operations against the government, politicians and innocent citizens, which include those from other sects of Islam. The study employed the Freudian Psychoanalysis in analysing the selected text. This is to explain the reason how deprived and brainwashed youths in northern Nigeria revolt against their fellow Islamists and the government, in order to project their sect’s ideology. Hence, Elnathan John’s Born on Tuesday, was aptly selected to convey this message through the text. The study holds that against some opinions, not all northerners or Islamists perpetrate or encourage religious and political violence (terrorism) but a sect, which is considered as promoter of strange ideologies that are inimical to Islam’s belief.
  • Teaching Postmillennial African Novels: In this paper, I examine how probing certain African myths can be instrumental in teaching some African narratives. Specifically, I study myths and folktales as potent tools in explaining certain phenomena in teaching Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu’s Zara the Windseeker. Myths and folktales, as Zara the Windseeker makes evident, continue to be viable tools for decoding aspects of the African experience. My pedagogy involves scrutinizing the literary qualities of myths and how these get transposed into literary texts like the one under examination.

iii. Dissertations and Thesis

  • Aiyetoro, Mary Bosede (2016) An Exploration of New Publishing Companies’ Contributions to Contemporary Nigerian Literature (Doctoral Thesis).
  • A Comparative Study of the Media of Presentation of Sango Myth in Nigerian Drama (Master’s Degree Thesis)
  • Selected Works of Mabel Segun: A Literary Biography (First Degree Project)
Institutional Service
  • Head of Programme, English Programme- June 2023 – till date
  • Deputy-Director Female, Directorate of Students Support Services – January, 2022 till date College Representative, Student Disciplinary Committee – 2020 till date
  • Head of Unit, Top -Up /Weekend Programme – January, 2020 – January, 2022
  • Staff Adviser, Final year Committee- 2020 – 2021
  • Staff Adviser, Final year Committee- 2022 – till date
  • Member, Quality Assurance and Monitoring Committee July, 2019 – 2020
  • Staff Adviser, Final year Committee- 2018 – 2020
  • Member, Catering Board Committee- 2018 – 2020
  • Deputy Dean Female, Student Affairs – 2018 – 2020
  • Member, Departmental Curriculum Review Committee – 2017 – 2020
  • Faculty Representative Chaplaincy Committee 2016
  • Member, Hospital Management Committee – 2015 – 2018
  • Student Staff Adviser Department of English – 2011 – 2014
  • Faculty Student Staff Adviser – 2011 – 2012
  • Member, Student Disciplinary Committee – 2013 – 2015
  • Hall Mistress, Storey Building (100 Level Block) – 2013 – 2017
  • Member, Student Welfare Committee. 2013 – 2016
  • Member, Staff Welfare Committee. 2013 – 2016
  • Examination Officer, Department of English. 2012 – 2015
  • Member, University Examination Timetable Committee. 2012 – 2015
Professional Service
  • Representative – African Literature Association (ALA), Germany (2015–2017)
  • Representative of Private Universities on The Women’s Caucus of the African Association (WOCALA) Executive Committee (2015–2016)
  • Facilitator, Training-the-trainer workshop for staff of Bowen University Staff School (2016)
  • Facilitator, Training-the-trainer workshop for staff of Bowen University Staff School (2017)
  • Facilitator, Training-the-trainer workshop for staff of Lanreleke Sports Academy, Ile-Ogbo (2020–2023)
  • Chair, Welfare Committee of the Local Organising Committee – PrAN International Lecture 2021
  • Chair, Welfare Committee of the Local Organising Committee – PrAN International Lecture 2019
  • Member, Family Impact Network (2019 – Till Date)
  • PTA Executive, Christ the King College, Ibadan (2018–2022).
  • Convener/Founder, Women of Grace Interdenominational Intercessory Ministry (2013 – Till Date)
  • Co-Pastor, Covenant of Grace Christian Center, Agbowo, Ibadan. (2005–Till Date)
Selected Publications

a. Books already published: 

  1. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2023) Of Whirlwinds and of Helps. Ibadan, Oyo State: Virtual Image Multi-Business Services Limited; ISBN: 9789786037615

b. Chapters in Books already published:

  1. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2022) “How to Create and Share Stories. (An Introduction to Creative Writing)” In Olutayo, G., A. Banji, B.O. Idowu-Faith and K. A. Ayoola, Use of English Manual for Universities and Colleges (Review Edition)
  2. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2017) “How to Understand and Interpret Poems, Playscripts and Stories.” In Olutayo, G., A. Banji, B.O. Idowu-Faith and K. A. Ayoola, Use of English Manual for Universities and Colleges pp. 364-387.

c. Articles that have appeared in learned journals:

  1. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2022). Myth, Folklore the Journey Motif in John Tolkien’s The Hobbit and Nnedi Okorafor’s Zarah the Windseeker. Sokoto Journal of Language and Linguistics, Vol. 2, pp. 145-160.
  2. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2022). Beyond the Lachrymal: Advocacy for Justice in Chimeka Garricks’ Tomorrow Died Yesterday. An African Journal of New Writing, Okike 63, pp. 97-110.
  3. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2021). Gender Representation in a Traditional and Modern Yoruba Family Structure in Yejide Kilanko’s Daughters Who Walk This Path. Issues in Language and Literary Studies, Vol 7(1), pp. 178-199.
  4. Aiyetoro, M. B. and Owhorodu, V. C. (2018). Causes, Effects, and Feminist Antidotes to Trafficking in Amma Darko’s Beyond the Horizon. Literary and Linguistic Perspectives on Orality, literacy and Gender Studies: A Festschrift for Oluwatoyin Jegede. pp. 185- 195.
  5. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2017). Perspectives on Sango: A Comparative Study of Duro Ladipo’s Oba Koso (The King Did Not Hang) and Femi Osofisan’s Many Colours Make the Thunder King. Inquiry in African Languages and Literatures. Vol 10. pp. 15- 25.
  6. Aiyetoro, M. B. and Olaoye E. O. (2016). Afro Science Fiction: A Study of Nnendi Okorafor’s What Sunny Saw in the Flames and Lagoon. Pivot, a Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies and Thought. Visionary Text, Past and Present: (Re)visionings, (Re)imagings. Canada: York University Open Journal Systems (OJS). Vol 5(1). pp. 226-245. 
  7. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2016). Vision, Themes and Techniques in Ahmed Yerima’s Hard Ground and Arnold Udoka’s A Long Walk to Dream: A Comparative Approach. Ibadan Journal of English Studies. pp. 224-240.
  8. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2016). Nigerian Publishers Speak: Engaging Interviews with Founders and Directors of Select Publishing Houses in Nigeria. Ibadan Journal of English Studies. pp. 253-270. 
  9. Aiyetoro, M. B. and Omobowale E. B. (2015). A Diachronic Survey of Creative Writing and Publishing in Nigeria. Ife Studies in African Literature and the Arts. Vol 11. pp. 145- 156.
  10. Aiyetoro, M.B. Evolving Representations of Sàngó: From Script to Screen in African Drama, Kaduna Journal of Humanities (KJH) Volume 7, Number 2 pp. 114-126 (2023)

d. Articles that have appeared in Referred Conference Proceedings: 

  1. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2023). A Biographical Survey of Selected Works of Mabel Segun: International Conference on New Theories of Africa: Diversities, Divergencies, Dreams, International Humanities Conference, Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife, Nigeria. 
  2. Aiyetoro, M. B. and Olaoye E. O. (2015). Afro Science Fiction: A Study of Nnendi Okorafor’s What Sunny Saw in the Flames and Lagoon”: 41st Annual Conference of The African Literature Association, University of Bayreuth, Germany. Pages 237.
  3. Aiyetoro, M. B. (2014). Phases and Ideologies of Post-Colonial Nigerian Literature: The Proceeding of the 1st African Association for Teaching and Learning Conference, Abuja, Nigeria. Pages 36- 48.

e. Manuscripts accepted for publication: 

  1. Aiyetoro, M. B. “Exilic Consciousness Stories and Creation of New Homes in Segun Afolabi’s A Life Elsewhere.” In ACU Journal of Humanities (ACUJOH), Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State.
  2. Aiyetoro, M. B. “Exile and the Making of New Homes in Segun Afolabi’s A Life Elsewhere and Chimamanda Adichie’s The Thing Around Your Neck” In Papers in English and Linguistics (PEL), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
  3. Aiyetoro, M. B. “A Study of Oral Resources as a Tool for Reappraising Ethnicity and Religion in Nigerian Politics” Zamfara International Journal of Humanities (ZIJOH)