PROF. WOLE SOYINKA AT 90: A GALA OF HIGH COMMENDATIONS AND DISSECTIONS

On Friday July 13, 1934, contrasting events unfolded around the world. Far away in Europe, Adolf Hitler launched the “Night of Long Knives” in Germany, causing great global unease and rapple. But in British West Africa, a bouncing baby boy, later named Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, was born in Abeokuta, in the hear of Yorubaland, , amidst jubilation. Today, that infant boy, Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka has acquired several sobriquets and nom-de-guerre, depending on the circumstance. On his 90th birthday, he has severally been given such by-names as “Kongi”, the “Lion of African Literature”, the “Bard of Ogun” and the “Sage of Abeokuta” (right from his hometown). Others refer to him as the “Literary Giant of Africa”, “Poet Laurette of the Black World”, The “Champion of Justice”, “Master Story Teller”, “Defender of African Cultures” and in fraternal circles,” Capone B”.

2. In whatever case, the numerous monikers of the great poet who simply prefers the shortened version of his name, Wole Soyinka and the many journeys of excitement that he had taken in life. Crossing the various seas of literary accomplishments, his journeys tell the African story of values, culture, traditions and ethos, and struggle for the enthronement of justice and human rights in society. Not unexpectedly therefore, the celebrations of Prof. Soyinka’s four scores plus ten years has reverberated around the world, in gatherings that have been a testament to appreciating his boundless creativity and indomitable human spirit.

*THE NOBEL PRIZE STORY*

3. In a feat never achieved by any person of African origin, Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, breaking a near century old tradition. At that occasion, he left none in disappointment as he devoted his Nobel lecture entitled “This past must address its present” to then freedom fighter and later President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. He assailed apartheid, neo-colonialism, racial segregation which the nationalist and white supremacist government of South Africa imposed at the time on indigenous persons of black African descent.

4. The Nobel Prize is unarguably the most prestigious international award that exists; from when it was created by the great Swedish inventor, engineer and industrialist, Alfred Nobel in his 1895 will. In his life time, Dr. Nobel had made tremendous wealth through the production of dynamite and other explosive devices for which he was applauded by the whole world. At that time, it was initially intended for peaceful purposes to aid the construction industry, particularly in tunnelling through some of the most difficult terrains in the world. Sadly, before his death, Dr. Nobel saw the depraved twist of human mind in which what he had invented for good was turned and used for destruction.

5. This highly coveted prize was therefore established to recognise the highest level of human accomplishment in the field of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. In 1968, the Swedish Central Bank added the Prize in Economic Sciences in honour of Nobel. Since the first prize in 1901, only 621 individuals from a global population of 8 billion have received this esteemed award, presented before the Kings of Sweden and Norway. The prize includes a cash award of approximately 10 million Swedish kroner (around US$1.145 million), a 175-gram 24-carat gold medal, and recognition among the greatest minds in human history.

6. Against this backdrop, Prof. Soyinka joined the exclusive group of global thinkers and literary giants who have received the Nobel Prize. He shares this distinction with luminaries like Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, and Jean-Paul Sartre. By winning the Nobel Prize, Prof. Soyinka brought great understanding to African literature in a manner that his hosts, the Nobel Prize Committee described as “one who in a wide cultural perspective and poetic overtone fashion the drama of existence”. Added to this was the fact that this prize was awarded to him due to the fact that he was “among those who, during the preceding years had conferred the greatest benefit on mankind”.

*A PEEP INTO HIS LITERARY WORTH*

7. Prof. Soyinka is simply a poetical playwright and linguist. Perhaps more than most literary scholars, his mind has been eclectic and his sphere socially profuse. Not that he had any special gifts as shown by his autobiography entitled “Ake”, published in 1981 and such other of his works as “Isara: A Voyage Around Essay” and “Ibadan: the Penkelemes Years”. Wole Soyinka’s works mostly dwell around poetry, plays and essays. Some of his earliest works were the “Lion and the Jewel“, as well as the “Guards of the Forest“, both published in 1959 and 1960. Later on, he came up with the poetry, “Idanre and other Poems”, as well as “A Shuttle in the Creek”. He continued with “The Interpreters” in 1965, “Kongi Harvest” in 1967, and later “The Man Died” in 1971, “A Shuttle in the Crypt” in 1972, “The Season of Anomie” in 1973, “Chronicles from the Last of the Happiest People on Earth” in 2021. He then returned to plays with the great work entitled “Death and the King’s Horseman”, “You must set forth at Dawn”. In terms of essays, some of his major works include Myth, Literature and the African Woman; the Burden of Memory, the Mews of Forgiveness of Africa.

8. What is significant in his writings is the fact that Soyinka always explores themes that hobble around the rich tapestry of African identity, culture, politics, and often veered into issues bordering on state building, i.e. democracy and human rights. In various forms, he was able to bring to the fore, the rich and vibrant reality of Yoruba existence, starting from his hometown, Abeokuta, with its complex heritage and history. A town of great cultural diversity, the home of the tribes of Egba, Owu and Ijebu. In a seeming cultural synthesis, each with its unique customs and assuetude, cultural realism, fascinations and boundless opportunities. More intellectually incandescent was the rich manner in which he brought to the fore the complex identity of the Yoruba ethnic group, one of Africa’s most outstanding groups, with complex identity, shaped by rich history as well as best cultural and traditional legacies. With this, majority of Yorubas have a great connection with “Orishas” and a special place for respect for elders who hold significant authority and wisdom. As exposed by Wole Soyinka, the Yoruba as a people place topmost emphasis on community, family and the optimisation of the benefits of human existence.

9. Wole Soyinka’s dramas reveal that culture encompasses words, music, dance, and drama, as well as the intricate hierarchies and customs of traditional institutions. The Yoruba worldview is deeply rooted in astrology and mysticism, showcasing a sophisticated understanding of the world. Notably, Soyinka’s work exposes the remarkable resilience and identity of the Yoruba people, setting them apart as a distinctive and notable culture. Similar to Gabriel Okara’s writing style, Soyinka seamlessly integrates his mother tongue into English, employing concrete grammar and poetic expressions to convey Yoruba culture. The Yoruba experience transcends its geographical location in Nigeria, extending to diasporic connections in the Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin worlds. This gives Soyinka’s work a trans-global identity, offering a unique and captivating perspective on human cultural expression.

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10. His writings demonstrate that his 90 years have been a testament to wisdom and a lifetime of masterful storytelling, which has profoundly enhanced our understanding of the human experience. Whether by the pen or the keyboard of his computer, Soyinka has been able to express himself in a special genre of literary craftsmanship, taking readers through the rich world of assumptions and awe-inspiring invitation to the world of future imagination and a special hunger and tirelessness for justice, fairness and equity.

*THE WORLD OF ACTIVISM AND SOCIAL PROTEST*

11. Besides his scholastic legacy of crafting of stories and poems, one of the footprints of Wole Soyinka is his work in his fight for justice and rectitude in human society. As a man of great convictions, his odium for the problems of society started from his days at the University of Ibadan where he led the vanguard of other students in fighting for the rights of the more indigent student folks. At that time, he had expressed the gravamen of his advocacy, as a cultural nationalist, “fighting against moribund conventions, tribalism, animalistic ideals, comradeship and tyranny”. He and his colleagues insisted on a milieu in which the domination of white and colonially influenced behavioural patterns will not take precedence over the true expression of black and African identity.

12. It is on this note that Prof. Wole Soyinka became a core activist in a series of political events in the South West of Nigeria, in which he became the bellwether. This included his taking over a Radio Station in Ibadan with a fake gun and his eventual incarceration in prison (1967-1969). In another respect, Wole Soyinka’s scholarly work was marked by a strong anti-colonialist stance, and he was a vocal advocate for democracy, tirelessly championing the importance of free speech, human rights, and good governance.

13. Wole Soyinka’s untiring near revolutionary spirit came also to the fore during the Nigerian Civil War when he took sides with the so-called Biafran rebels and demanded an end to war. During the heydays of military jackboot in Nigeria, he stood for demilitarisation and the return to democracy. For these, he has also suffered personal deprivations including his self-imposed exile from the hands of the military dictators from 1994-1998. All through his adult life, he has also suffered all manners of harassments, death threats and other aspects of public censure and dehumanisation. In fact, his main works are satirical renditions of the ills in society such as colonialism and cultural imperialism, militarism, corruption, social justice, and other issues such as cultural irredentism. With the use of powerful imageries and symbolism, he has been able to make a strong critique of the permissiveness of the oppressive tendencies in society. He has also been able to cry out openly through such mediums for social justice, the return to cultural identity and respect for traditional heritage.

*OTHER NATIONAL SERVICE RECORD*

14. Although he had been a core social critic of governments, he was nonetheless found useful to hold several national positions. This included as pioneer Chairmanship of the Federal Road Safety Corps, then National Road Safety Commission from 1988-1990 and later from 2000-2001. Thereafter he was appointed by President Babangida into the National Constitution Conference in 1990. When a Nigerian think-tank on Education was formed in 1990, he was again dragged to join as a Member.

15. At trans-continental level when the issue of reparations on account of 400 years of trans-Atlantic slave trade came calling, he became named among the Panel of 12 Eminent African and Caribbean scholars under the Chairmanship of Moshood Abiola. Still on global and African level, he was appointed as Ambassador at Large by South Africa from 1994-1998. This he combined with his position as Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, Bhoutros Bhoutros Ghali. He was also a member of the UNESCO High Level Panel on Peace and Dialogue Among Cultures in 2010.

16. Back home, Prof. Wole Soyinka was again appointed a Member of the Presidential Committee on the Niger Delta in 2008 and Chairman Lagos State Committee on State Cultural Committee in2015, Member, Advisory Board, Africa Study Centre, University of Oxford since 2017 and Chairman Governing Council, National Institute for Cultural Studies from 2017.

*BACK TO HIS ABEOKUTA ROOT*

17. It is interesting that Wole Soyinka’s achievements in life against the backdrop of his family roots from the town of Isare in the Remo area of what is known today as Ogun State. His father, Clergyman Samuel Layode Soyinka was both a teacher and a minister while his mother, Grace Eniola was a trader and a devoted church worker. His own great grandfather Elder Samuel Johnson Soyinka was one of the first set of Christian converts into the Anglican Church, Abeokuta area. He played a great role in translating the bible into Yoruba language. Accordingly, Prof. Soyinka grew up in a very strong Christian family.

18. Another very interesting aspect of his life is the fact that Soyinka and the activist musical icon, Fela Anikulapo (formerly Ransome-Kuti) are first cousins as their mothers were sisters; direct siblings. The famous Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, the first Nigerian woman political activist and first woman to drive a car in West Africa, was an elder sister to Prof. Soyinka’s mother. Activism whether seen from the point of view of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Fela Anikulapo, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti is therefore ingrained in Prof. Wole Soyinka’s DNA and is therefore not amiss. Indeed, accounts have it that, Soyinka’s father and activist maternal grandfather themselves had promoted African cultural activism in the midst of Christendom.

19. Coming from such a privileged background, his childhood enabled him acquire the best of education at St. Peters Primary School which was established since 1922 by the Church Missionary Society as a dedicated primary school for boys. Soyinka received his primary education from 1940. From those early years, he has exhibited the courage of a child that is vocal and self-confident. The school has also produced, about same time as Soyinka, other great alumnus such as former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and late Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon, former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. His likeness for the literary arts might have come from school’s emphasis on literature and his own father’s direct love for music.

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20. From there, he proceeded first to Abeokuta Grammar School and later to Government College, Ibadan from 1944-52. He entered Ibadan few years after its establishment in 1929 as the premier secondary school in Western Region to offer liberal western higher education to boys. The record of the school showed that Soyinka excelled academically, particularly in literature, English and drama. He was exponator and motivator in the school’s drama and writing clubs, standing out in his mastery of the works of William Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift and other English writers. According to the school’s early records, he stood out for his exceptional debating skills, displaying a remarkable ability to articulate persuasive arguments and deliver compelling orations. They also adduced he left the school with its magazine, having made significant contributions to its poetry section from his early days. Interesting enough, Soyinka, in those early days, was a lanky and accomplished sportsman, especially in athletics and also part of the school’s sporting arsenal which gave it a great name in Western region.

21. It was therefore easy for him to proceed to the University College, now the University of Ibadan, the famous Faculty of Arts where he studied literature from 1952-54. While in the University of Ibadan, he excelled academically winning prizes in English Literature before he left the school. He had such great contemporaries as Chinua Achebe, Amos Tutuola, Christopher Okigbo and J.P. Clark. He joined to form what became known as the Writers Club. He was also actively involved in drama and theatre productions at the hub of the university’s Journal and Dramatic Society.

22. Later in life, Soyinka left Ibadan with his Intermediate B.A and proceeded to the University of Leeds from 1954-57 to complete his degree. As one of the first African students to ever study at Leeds, Soyinka left none in doubt as he excelled, winning most of its coveted prizes in English literature and was able to meet some of the greatest writers in the world at the time. It was at Leeds that he finished the final formative composure of blending African traditions in an English language and setting. By the time he returned from Leeds to Nigeria to take up the teaching of literature at the University of Ibadan from 1962-63, he was already on his way to becoming a global star. After concluding a Doctoral study at the University of Leeds, he taught at the University of Ife from 1975-82 focusing on African literature and became the “agent-provocateur” of student unionism and academic freedom. He eventually rose to become Head of English Literature in 1978-82 and worked closely with his colleagues such as Chinua Achebe and John Pepper Clark.

*CRITIQUES AND WHAT OTHERS DON’T LIKE ABOUT HIM*

23. The concept of duality of humans has been deeply explored by virtually all notable philosophers in a theory of “divided line”. Plato insisted that the human soul consists of two parts, rational and irrational. This was also the position of Aristotle. Indeed Rene Descartes, Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche, amongst many others affirmed this duality i.e. between the empirical and intelligible aspects of human nature. So, while Wole Soyinka has had a globally acclaimed life, his legacies have not been without enough elements of dissent and censure. Of all the greatest critique of Prof. Wole Soyinka is the fact that he is attributed to have been behind the spectre of university based confraternal disruptions. In a rather altruistic desire to protect the identity of the more indigenous students of the University of Ibadan, Wole Soyinka who was a foundation student almost at the verge of his exit in 1952 along with seven other Nigerians founded what became known as the Pyrates Confraternity, (now known as National Association of Seadogs). All those who founded the Association with him ended up becoming celebrated academics, i.e. professors and writers that were stated to have been “dissatisfied with the social and political norm at the time, came together to form a body to challenge the status quo and promote a more inclusive society.”

24. It has been curious as to why they choose the name of Pyrates Confraternity, but reading from various writings, they drew inspiration from the pirate’s philosophy of freedom and adventure. Since the time of its founding, the body played major role in fighting some injustice arising from the colonial legacy in the pioneer university and the neo-colonial tendencies that were perpetuated. However, in the course of time, the Pyrates Confraternity led to the spurning of many organisations with similar operational modes, which later became a major problem of cultism in tertiary institutions. Since 1987, Pyrates are no longer in the educational system but continue to exist around the country, around the world, as a fraternity of like minds, promoting social justice, and human rights. That legacy of disruptions and violence unfortunately continue to overhang for which many tend to impugn Prof. Soyinka’s legacy.

25. One other major critique against Prof. Soyinka is what people perceived as his double standards in terms of his activist work. Whereas Prof. Soyinka has been a great critic of bad governance, corruption, some groups have criticised him over the fact that he has been selective in his approach. In recent times, they point to the fact that he was at the forefront of criticising and denounced the Government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan over what he considered as wrong government policies and the so-called cluelessness. However, virtually all who have averred their mind on this matter disapprove the compliant and acquiescent manner in which the very rugged and outspoken Professor has become tolerant of the past and present government in Nigeria over some policies which have been considered injurious to public good. The disapproval actually started from the presidential election which was hotly contested, including in the court of justice. Contrary to his obstinate posture, they observe that not much has been heard of his position on the matter. His headstrongness seems to have given way to a limp slap on the wrist.

*AN ENDING NOTE*

26. The age of 90 is obviously a rare feat of longevity in which a lot of experience and strength of character has been exhibited. But 90 years itself is a time when the fullness of wisdom, insight and understanding makes the celebrant earn entry into the sagely conclave of perfect elder statesmen. Indeed, it is also a time to look back at one’s legacies and also reflect and retrospect on what could have been done differently.

27. For someone like Wole Soyinka, this is a testament to his life’s worth of indomitable human spirit and of unquestionable passion and dedication to knowledge and scholarship. His is a true manifestation of what Eleanor Roosevelt, one-time American President once said, “the purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences”. Prof. Soyinka’s life has been an inspiration to all. To live life to its fullest and embrace all challenges which could have come along the way with fortitude and with courage. Although his starting point was smooth with silver spoon in the mouth, he learnt through life as Mandela once enjoined to “see glory not in falling and rising at every moment but up to the touch line”.

28. The best wish therefore for the rugged Professor is to continue with steadfastness in his beliefs and convictions, in his rugged approach to tackling complex issues and his unyielding activism and his rugged willingness to confronting authority with unwavering forthrightness and stay afloat into the last days of glory.

*Dr. Igali, is an Ambassador and
Retired Federal Permanent Secretary*

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