The literati and arts enthusiasts across the world will today roll out the drums in celebration of Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in Literature, Prof. Wole Soyinka, who turns 80. He was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State on July 13, 1934.
Series of stage plays, conferences and discourses in celebration of the life of the distinguished bard holding globally are expected to reach their crescendo today. In Nigeria, among other events, the living literary legend is being celebrated via a project tagged WS Open Door Series, an international cultural exchange.
Earlier, all for the new ‘octogenarian status’ of the revered Nobel laureate, there were exhibition tours to Abeokuta, Osogbo, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Jos. Some of Soyinka’s plays such as Alapata Apata, Death and the King’s Horseman, Madmen and Specialist, Dance of the Forest, including Lanke Omu and Oba Koso, are being performed to the delight of theatre lovers.
Besides, 80 poets drawn from Nigeria, US and Jamaica have exhibited their creative impulses at a gathering tagged ‘The Soyinka Impulse and Education-Path to Freedom and the Future’ held in Lagos. This is in addition to the deluge of encomiums that continue to pour in for Soyinka from his admirers.
Soyinka, whose oeuvre persistently interrogates core human issues, has constantly expressed his disdain for tyranny. The playwright has continued to speak against many of the problems plaguing the country and proffer solutions as appropriate. Lately, he renewed his condemnation for the raging insurgency confronting the country including other mind-boggling challenges.
Though the playwright, essayist, poet, activist and critic has felt the jackboots of the military for daring to query its excesses, he remained undaunted in pursuing a cause he believes in.
From The Man Died (1971) which documents his 22-month incarceration, The Swamp Dwellers, A play of Giants, Kongi’s Harvest, Requiem for a Futurologist, Season of Anomy, A Dance of the Forest to The Lion and the Jewel among numerous others, Soyinka unveils his literary preoccupation and exceptional style.
President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday congratulated Soyinka for reaching a ‘landmark age.’
In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan said, “As Soyinka’s enters the elite club of the world’s highly revered octogenarians and very special people who have made very significant and indelible contributions to their countries and humanity, the President joins Prof. Soyinka, his family, friends, associates, readers and fans across the world in giving thanks to God Almighty for his glorious life of service to the arts, his nation and mankind at large.”
Posted: at 13-07-2014 06:21 AM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Standingtayor at 13-07-2014 07:20 AM (9 years ago) (m)
Happy Birthday Bro; llnp. Aseyi-samodun. Igba odun, odun kan
Posted: at 13-07-2014 07:20 AM (9 years ago) | Newbie
Happy birthday sir! but pls try and tame your tongue, the rate in which u are " mid yarning" now is worrisome, u pug nose and interfere in every issue, u don dey fall hand
Am too defended to be a victim
Posted: at 13-07-2014 01:07 PM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Happy birthday sir! but pls try and tame your tongue, the rate in which u are " mid yarning" now is worrisome, u pug nose and interfere in every issue, u don dey fall hand
Are you asking him to tame his tongue? He has been speaking before you were born, he played a prominent role before the Biafra war in order to avert the disaster ,he stood against every military government, he was jailed several times, he was sentenced to death in absence by the Abacha government in 1997 all in the name of fighting for you the masses.He is 80 and still talking because most of our youths are too gullible to understand the situation in their country and too lazy to take their future from the politicians who are ready to destroy everything. Our youths have been blindfolded by ethnics and religious sentiments.A German friend ones told me that you don't fight for black people because the same people will kill you , an example is Malcom x .
Posted: at 13-07-2014 01:46 PM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
HBD. You started cultism in Nigeria , It has destroyed promising talents. Too bad
I am not here to enlighten you or change your thoughts on the issue of cultism because I had the same opinion like yours before, not knowing that our students today in this shit are the Idiots..Wole Soyinka,Pius Oleghe,Muyiwa Awe,Sylvanus Egbuche and others founded Pyrates Confraternity( it was and still a legalised social club ) to safe indigenous students from oppression,against tribalism and to promote our cultures on our campuses but it was misunderstood by some idiots that turns it to war today..Fraternity in some European countries are still what they are meant to be, they assist each other(cheap accommodation for members) and also assist other students, failure to complete your studies is an automatic exclusion from the brotherhood and lots of connection awaits you after your studies..What we have in Nigeria today is Cultism ,practised by some low life Idiots who are used as political thugs.
Posted: at 13-07-2014 02:07 PM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUT ALWAYS REASON AS AN ELDER STATEMAN B4 U TALK
Maybe you should advice yourself first. Can you tell me in what ways he hasn't reasoned before giving a statement or do you want his personal opinion to match yours?
Posted: at 13-07-2014 02:12 PM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
I am not here to enlighten you or change your thoughts on the issue of cultism because I had the same opinion like yours before, not knowing that our students today in this sh*t are the Idiots..Wole Soyinka,Pius Oleghe,Muyiwa Awe,Sylvanus Egbuche and others founded Pyrates Confraternity( it was and still a legalised social club ) to safe indigenous students from oppression,against tribalism and to promote our cultures on our campuses but it was misunderstood by some idiots that turns it to war today..Fraternity in some European countries are still what they are meant to be, they assist each other(cheap accommodation for members) and also assist other students, failure to complete your studies is an automatic exclusion from the brotherhood and lots of connection awaits you after your studies..What we have in Nigeria today is Cultism ,practised by some low life Idiots who are used as political thugs.
pls,enlightening them boc many are living under the influence of misleading and inaccuracy ,people should stop acquising this noble man.
Posted: at 13-07-2014 02:41 PM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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