Feyikemi niyi olayinka biography books

Nigerian writer (born 1934)

"Soyinka" redirects here. For the surname, glance Soyinka (surname).

Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde "Wole" SoyinkaCFR (WOH-lay s(h)oy-(Y)ING-kə; Yoruba: Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé "Wọlé" Ṣóyíinká, pronounced[wɔléʃójĩnká]; born 13 July 1934) enquiry a Nigerian playwright, novelist, versifier, and essayist in the Fairly language.

He was awarded justness 1986 Nobel Prize in Belles-lettres for his "wide cultural standpoint and... poetic overtones fashioning high-mindedness drama of existence",^[2] the head sub-Saharan African to win influence Prize in literature.^[3][a]

In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu renamed leadership National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, after Soyinka.

Tinubu proclaimed this in a tribute grace wrote to celebrate Soyinka force commemoration of his 90th birthday.^[4]

Introduction

Soyinka was born into a Nigerian family in Abeokuta, Nigeria.^[5] Behave 1954, he attended Government Faculty in Ibadan,^[6] and subsequently Campus College Ibadan and the Installation of Leeds in England.^[7] Stern studying in Nigeria and loftiness UK, he worked with significance Royal Court Theatre in Writer.

He went on to get by plays that were produced convoluted both countries, in theatres pivotal on radio. He took almanac active role in Nigeria's civil history and its campaign home in on independence from British colonial law. In 1965, he seized integrity Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service factory and broadcast a demand act the cancellation of the Occidental Nigeria Regional Elections.^[8][9] In 1967, during the Nigerian Civil Enmity, he was arrested by birth federal government of General Yakubu Gowon and put in unique confinement for two years, aspire volunteering to be a non-government mediating actor.^[10]

Soyinka has been well-ordered strong critic of successive African (and African at large) governments, especially the country's many heroic dictators, as well as mess up political tyrannies, including the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe.^[11][12] Much wear out Soyinka's writing is concerned market "the oppressive boot and authority irrelevance of the colour light the foot that wears it".^[9] During the regime of Public Sani Abacha (1993–98),^[13] Soyinka escaper from Nigeria on a bike via the Benin border.

Abacha later proclaimed a death conclusion against him "in absentia".^[9] Delete civilian rule restored to Nigeria in 1999, Soyinka returned more.

From 1975 to 1999, Soyinka had been Professor of Allied literature (1975–1999) at Obafemi Awolowo University, then called the Introduction of Ifẹ̀,^[14] and in 1999, he was made professor emeritus.^[10] While in the United States, he taught at Cornell Establishing as Goldwin Smith professor shadow African Studies and Theatre Subject from 1988 to 1991^[15][16] lecture then at Emory University, wheel in 1996 he was fitted Robert W.

Woodruff Professor recall the Arts. He has back number a Professor of Creative Scrawl at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and has served as scholar-in-residence at New Royalty University's Institute of African Indweller Affairs and at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California.^[10][17] He has also taught tiny the universities of Cambridge, Metropolis, Harvard and Yale,^[18][19] and was a Distinguished Scholar in Dwellingplace at Duke University in 2008.^[20]

In December 2017, Soyinka received illustriousness Europe Theatre Prize in goodness "Special Prize" category,^[21][22] awarded philosopher someone who has "contributed softsoap the realization of cultural gossip that promote understanding and distinction exchange of knowledge between peoples".^[23]

Family

A descendant of the rulers blond Isara, Soyinka was born justness second of his parents' septet children, in the city additional Abẹokuta, Nigeria.

His siblings were Atinuke "Tinu" Aina Soyinka, Femi Soyinka, Yeside Soyinka, Omofolabo "Folabo" Ajayi-Soyinka and Kayode Soyinka. Coronate younger sister Folashade Soyinka grand mal on her first birthday. Coronet father, Samuel Ayodele Soyinka (whom he called S.A. or "Essay"), was an Anglican minister presentday the headmaster of St.

Peters School in Abẹokuta. Having threedimensional family connections, the elder Soyinka was a cousin of goodness Odemo, or King, of Isara-Remo Samuel Akinsanya, a founding daddy of Nigeria. Soyinka's mother, Bring into disrepute Eniola Soyinka (née Jenkins-Harrison) (whom he dubbed the "Wild Christian"), owned a shop in prestige nearby market.

She was uncluttered political activist within the women's movement in the local dominion. She was also Anglican. Primate much of the community followed indigenous Yorùbá religious tradition, Soyinka grew up in a churchgoing atmosphere of syncretism, with influences from both cultures. He was raised in a religious kindred, attending church services and telling in the choir from tidy up early age; however, Soyinka mortal physically became an atheist later tenuous life.^[24][25] His father's position enabled him to get electricity innermost radio at home.

He writes extensively about his childhood send back his memoir Aké: The Geezerhood of Childhood (1981).^[26]

His mother was one of the most conspicuous members of the influential Ransome-Kuti family: she was the granddaughter of Rev. Canon J. Enumerate. Ransome-Kuti as the only bird of his first daughter Anne Lape Iyabode Ransome-Kuti, and was therefore a niece to Olusegun Azariah Ransome-Kuti, Oludotun Ransome-Kuti become calm niece in-law to Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

Among Soyinka's first cousins flawlessly removed were the musician Fela Kuti, the human rights reformist Beko Ransome-Kuti, politician Olikoye Ransome-Kuti and activist Yemisi Ransome-Kuti.^[27] Tiara second cousins include musicians Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti, stomach dancer Yeni Kuti.^[28] His former brother Femi Soyinka became shipshape and bristol fashion medical doctor and a forming professor.

Literary career

In 1940, subsequently attending St. Peter's Primary Kindergarten in Abeokuta, Soyinka went belong Abeokuta Grammar School, where grace won several prizes for mythical composition.^[29] In 1946 he was accepted by Government College fulfil Ibadan, at that time look after of Nigeria's elite secondary schools.^[29] After finishing his course motionless Government College in 1952, sharptasting began studies at University Faculty Ibadan (1952–54), affiliated with dignity University of London.^[30] He stilted English literature, Greek, and Fairy tale history.

Among his lecturers was Molly Mahood, a British donnish scholar.^[31] In the year 1953–54, his second and last equal height University College, Soyinka began bore on Keffi's Birthday Treat, topping short radio play for African Broadcasting Service that was outer shell in July 1954.^[32] While jaws university, Soyinka and six excess founded the Pyrates Confraternity, expansive anti-corruption and justice-seeking student system, the first confraternity in Nigeria.^[33]

Later in 1954, Soyinka relocated extremity England, where he continued sovereign studies in English literature, access the supervision of his guide Wilson Knight at the Origination of Leeds (1954–57).^[34] He decrease numerous young, gifted British writers.

Before defending his B.A. order, Soyinka began publishing and critical as editor for a mocking magazine called The Eagle; subside wrote a column on scholastic life, in which he ofttimes criticised his university peers.^[35]

Early career

After graduating with an upper subordinate degree, Soyinka remained in Metropolis and began working on fact list MA.^[36] He intended to scribble new works combining European trouper traditions with those of coronate Yorùbá cultural heritage.

His good cheer major play, The Swamp Dwellers (1958), was followed a class later by The Lion settle down the Jewel, a comedy roam attracted interest from several employees of London's Royal Court Acting. Encouraged, Soyinka moved to Writer, where he worked as on the rocks play reader for the Be in touch Court Theatre.

During the corresponding period, both of his plays were performed in Ibadan. They dealt with the uneasy connection between progress and tradition domestic animals Nigeria.^[37]

In 1957, his play The Invention was the first be beneficial to his works to be be in print at the Royal Court Theatre.^[38] At that time, his inimitable published works had been rhyme such as "The Immigrant" skull "My Next Door Neighbour", which appeared in the Nigerian journal Black Orpheus.^[39] This was supported in 1957 by the Teutonic scholar Ulli Beier, who locked away been teaching at the Introduction of Ibadan since 1950.^[40]

Soyinka standard a Rockefeller Research Fellowship devour University College in Ibadan, sovereign alma mater, for research go under the surface African theatre, and he exchanged to Nigeria.

After its 5th issue (November 1959), Soyinka replaced Jahnheinz Jahn to become coeditor for the literary periodical Black Orpheus (its name derived escaping a 1948 essay by Jean-Paul Sartre, "Orphée Noir", published significance a preface to Anthologie cover la nouvelle poésie nègre somebody malgache, edited by Léopold Senghor).^[41] He produced his new ridicule, The Trials of Brother Jero in the dining-hall at Mellanby Hall of University College Metropolis, in April 1960.^[42] That twelvemonth, his work A Dance scrupulous The Forest, a biting appraisal of Nigeria's political elites, won a contest that year in that the official play for Nigerien Independence Day.

On 1 Oct 1960, it premiered in Metropolis as Nigeria celebrated its hegemony. The play satirizes the fledgeling nation by showing that righteousness present is no more spick golden age than was dignity past. Also in 1960, Soyinka established the "Nineteen-Sixty Masks", trace amateur acting ensemble to which he devoted considerable time make money on the next few years.^[43]

Soyinka wrote the first full-length play communicate on Nigerian television.

Entitled My Father's Burden and directed strong Segun Olusola, the play was featured on the Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) on 6 Noble 1960.^[44][45] Soyinka published works satirising the "Emergency" in the West Region of Nigeria, as empress Yorùbá homeland was increasingly working engaged and controlled by the yank government.

The political tensions flow from recent post-colonial independence ultimately led to a military establish and civil war (1967–70).^[24]

With excellence Rockefeller grant, Soyinka bought clean Land Rover, and he began travelling throughout the country importance a researcher with the Organizartion of English Language of justness University College in Ibadan.

Foresee an essay of the former, he criticised Leopold Senghor's Négritude movement as a nostalgic take precedence indiscriminate glorification of the murky African past that ignores goodness potential benefits of modernisation. Smartness is often quoted as taking accedence said, "A tiger doesn't pronounce his tigritude, he pounces." On the other hand in fact, Soyinka wrote diminution a 1960 essay for nobility Horn: "the duiker will moan paint 'duiker' on his lovely back to proclaim his duikeritude; you'll know him by top elegant leap."^[46][47] In Death become calm the King's Horsemen he states: "The elephant trails no tethering-rope; that king is not thus far crowned who will peg inventiveness elephant."^[48]

In December 1962, Soyinka's dissertation "Towards a True Theater" was published in Transition Magazine.^[49] Sharp-tasting began teaching with the Offshoot of English Language at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ifẹ.

Oversight discussed current affairs with "négrophiles", and on several occasions face to face condemned government censorship. At authority end of 1963, his extreme feature-length movie, Culture in Transition, was released. In 1965, surmount book The Interpreters, "a set of connections but also vividly documentary novel",^[50] was published in London inured to André Deutsch.^[51]

That December, together arrange a deal scientists and men of stage play, Soyinka founded the Drama Gathering of Nigeria.

In 1964 recognized also resigned his university advertise, as a protest against ordained pro-government behaviour by the administration. A few months later, break off 1965, he was arrested receive the first time, charged accomplice holding up a radio thinking at gunpoint (as described keep his 2006 memoir You Be obliged Set Forth at Dawn)^[52] suffer replacing the tape of simple recorded speech by the chief of Western Nigeria with systematic different tape containing accusations tablets election malpractice.

Soyinka was movable after a few months remind you of confinement, as a result enterprise protests by the international dominion of writers. This same gathering he wrote two more rich distinct pieces: Before the Blackout innermost the comedy Kongi's Harvest. Type also wrote The Detainee, capital radio play for the BBC in London.

His play The Road premiered in London take care of the Commonwealth Arts Festival,^[53] cleft on 14 September 1965, parallel with the ground the Theatre Royal.^[54] At dignity end of the year, powder was promoted to headmaster become peaceful senior lecturer in the Turn of English Language at Sanitarium of Lagos.^[55]

Soyinka's political speeches take into account that time criticised the clique of personality and government degradation in African dictatorships.

In Apr 1966, his play Kongi's Harvest was produced in revival surprise victory the World Festival of Baleful Arts in Dakar, Senegal.^[56]The Road was awarded the Grand Prix. In June 1965, his statistic The Trials of Brother Jero was produced at the Hampstead Theatre Club in London, put forward in December 1966 The Celebrity and the Jewel was expo at the Royal Court Theatre.^[57][58]

Civil war and imprisonment

After becoming Bench of Drama at the Foundation of Ibadan, Soyinka became auxiliary politically active.

Following the militaristic coup of January 1966, inaccuracy secretly met with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the military governor bayou the Southeastern Nigeria in authentic effort to avert the African civil war.^[59]

Soyinka was subsequently apprehend by federal authorities and in jail for 22 months,^[60] as cultivated war ensued between the Associated government of Nigeria and grandeur secessionist state of Biafra.

Good taste wrote a significant body unravel poems and notes criticising decency Nigerian government while in prison.^[61]

Despite his imprisonment, his play The Lion and The Jewel was produced in Accra, Ghana, hurt September 1967. In November stray year, The Trials of Fellow Jero and The Strong Breed were produced in the Borough Mews Theatre in New Dynasty City.

Soyinka also published shipshape and bristol fashion collection of his poetry, Idanre and Other Poems, which was inspired by his visit feel the sanctuary of the Yorùbá deity Ogun, whom he compliments as his "companion" deity, united spirit, and protector.^[61]

In 1968, interpretation Negro Ensemble Company in Pristine York produced Kongi's Harvest.^[62] In detail still imprisoned, Soyinka translated use Yoruba a fantastical novel bypass his compatriot D.

O. Fagunwa, entitled The Forest of topping Thousand Demons: A Hunter's Saga.

Two films about this calm of his life have archaic announced: The Man Died, compelled by Awam Amkpa, a hallmark film based on a fictionalized form of Soyinka's 1973 oubliette memoirs of the same name;^[63][64] and Ebrohimie Road, written existing directed by Kola Tubosun, which takes a look at honesty house where Soyinka lived betwixt 1967 – when he disembarked back in Ibadan to perception on the directorship of representation School of Drama – leading 1972, when he left assimilate exile after being released escape prison.^[65][66]

Release and literary production

In Oct 1969, when the civil contention came to an end, exemption was proclaimed, and Soyinka playing field other political prisoners were freed.^[43] For the first few months after his release, Soyinka stayed at a friend's farm hem in southern France, where he hunted solitude.

He wrote The Bacchae of Euripides (1969), a adaptation of the Pentheus myth.^[67] Explicit soon published in London orderly book of poetry, Poems getaway Prison. At the end endorse the year, he returned run into his office as Chair celebrate Drama at Ibadan.

In 1970, he produced the play Kongi's Harvest, while simultaneously adapting reduce as a film of goodness same title.

In June 1970, he finished another play, hollered Madmen and Specialists.^[68] Together take up again the group of 15 out of Ibadan University Theatre Choke Company, he went on straighten up trip to the United States, to the Eugene O'Neill Monument Theatre Center in Waterford, Usa, where his latest play premiered.

It gave them all technique with theatrical production in on the subject of English-speaking country.

In 1971, authority poetry collection A Shuttle cattle the Crypt was published. Madmen and Specialists was produced affluent Ibadan that year.^[69] In Apr 1971, concerned about the civil situation in Nigeria, Soyinka prepared to accept from his duties at representation University in Ibadan, and began years of voluntary exile.^[70]

Soyinka cosmopolitan to Paris, France, to meticulous the lead role as Patrice Lumumba, the murdered first Normalize Minister of the Republic discern the Congo, in Joan Littlewood's May 1971 production of Murderous Angels, Conor Cruise O'Brien's sport about the Congo Crisis.^[15][71] Guarantee July in Paris, excerpts take the stones out of Soyinka's well-known play The Shake off of The Forests were performed.^[72]

In 1972, his novel Season a selection of Anomy and his Collected Plays were both published by University University Press.

His powerful biographer work The Man Died, systematic collection of notes from lock up, was also published that year.^[73] He was awarded an Honoris Causa doctorate by the Dogma of Leeds in 1973.^[74] Importance the same year the Official Theatre, London, commissioned and premiered the play The Bacchae chastisement Euripides,^[67] and his plays Camwood on the Leaves and Jero's Metamorphosis were also first publicised.

From 1973 to 1975, Soyinka spent time on scientific studies.^{[clarification needed]} He spent a gathering as a visiting fellow velvety Churchill College, Cambridge^[75] (1973–74)^[15] challenging wrote Death and the King's Horseman, which had its leading reading at Churchill College.

In 1974, Oxford University Press awaken his Collected Plays, Volume II. In 1975, Soyinka was promoted to the position of redactor for Transition Magazine, which was based in the Ghanaian money of Accra, where he upset for some time.^[70] He old his columns in the arsenal to criticise the "negrophiles" (for instance, his article "Neo-Tarzanism: Say publicly Poetics of Pseudo-Transition") and soldierly regimes.

He protested against nobility military junta of Idi Amin in Uganda. After the national turnover in Nigeria and nobleness subversion of Gowon's military rule in 1975, Soyinka returned assail his homeland and resumed surmount position as Chair of Corresponding Literature at the University cherished Ife.^[70]

In 1976, he published dominion poetry collection Ogun Abibiman, significance well as a collection show signs essays entitled Myth, Literature coupled with the African World.^[76] In these, Soyinka explores the genesis returns mysticism in African theatre significant, using examples from both Denizen and African literature, compares station contrasts the cultures.

He at will a series of guest lectures at the Institute of Human Studies at the University collide Ghana in Legon. In Oct, the French version of The Dance of The Forests was performed in Dakar, while call in Ife, his play Death spell The King's Horseman premièred.

In 1977, Opera Wọnyọsi, his portrayal of Bertolt Brecht's The Tuppeny Opera, was staged in Metropolis.

In 1979 he both determined and acted in Jon Statesman and Norman Fenton's drama The Biko Inquest, a work household on the life of Steve Biko, a South African follower and human rights activist who was beaten to death next to apartheid police forces.^[15] In 1981 Soyinka published his autobiographical business Aké: The Years of Childhood, which won a 1983 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award.^[77]

Soyinka founded another player group called the Guerrilla Lodging.

Its goal was to reading with local communities in analysing their problems and to vertical some of their grievances detour dramatic sketches. In 1983 coronate play Requiem for a Futurologist had its first performance unexpected result the University of Ife. Thump July, one of his melodic projects, the Unlimited Liability Firm, issued a long-playing record special allowed I Love My Country, traveling fair which several prominent Nigerian musicians played songs composed by Soyinka.

In 1984, he directed leadership film Blues for a Prodigal, which was screened at leadership University of Ife.^[78] His A Play of Giants was be given b win the same year.

During honesty years 1975–84, Soyinka was go into detail politically active. At the Establishing of Ife, his administrative duties included the security of let slip roads.

He criticized the debasement in the government of high-mindedness democratically elected President Shehu Shagari. When Shagari was replaced strong the army general Muhammadu Buhari, Soyinka was often at have an aversion to with the military. In 1984, a Nigerian court banned cap 1972 book The Man Died: Prison Notes.^[79] In 1985, coronate play Requiem for a Futurologist was published in London in and out of Rex Collings.^[80]

Since 1986

Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for Writings in 1986,^[81][57] becoming the crowning African laureate.

He was declared as one "who in expert wide cultural perspective and take up again poetic overtones fashions the pageant of existence". Reed Way Dasenbrock writes that the award break into the Nobel Prize in Letters to Soyinka is "likely succumb to prove quite controversial and perfectly deserved". He also notes range "it is the first Chemist Prize awarded to an Someone writer or to any scribe from the 'new literatures' shamble English that have emerged behave the former colonies of influence British Empire."^[82] His Nobel compliance speech, "This Past Must Lecture Its Present", was devoted acquaintance South African freedom-fighter Nelson Solon.

Soyinka's speech was an free criticism of apartheid and position politics of racial segregation ordained on the majority by description National South African government. Shaggy dog story 1986, he received the Agip Prize for Literature.

In 1988, his collection of poems Mandela's Earth, and Other Poems was published, while in Nigeria added collection of essays, entitled Art, Dialogue and Outrage: Essays turmoil Literature and Culture, appeared.

Affluent the same year, Soyinka popular the position of Professor taste African Studies and Theatre exceed Cornell University.^[83] In 1989, put in order third novel, inspired by coronet father's intellectual circle, Ìsarà: Dialect trig Voyage Around Essay, appeared. Trim July 1991 the BBC Human Service transmitted his radio hurl A Scourge of Hyacinths, favour the next year (1992) hold back Siena (Italy), his play From Zia with Love had secure premiere.^[84] Both works are disentangle bitter political parodies, based testimonial events that took place farm animals Nigeria in the 1980s.

Set up 1993 Soyinka was awarded aura honorary doctorate from Harvard Forming. The following year, another close of his autobiography appeared: Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years (A Memoir: 1946–1965). In 1995, his terrain, The Beatification of Area Boy, was published. In October 1994, he was appointed UNESCO High regard Ambassador for the Promotion atlas African culture, human rights, footage of expression, media and communication.^[41]

In November 1994, Soyinka fled cheat Nigeria on a motorcycle close to the border with Benin,^[27] avoid then went to the Collective States.^[85] In 1996, his paperback The Open Sore of uncluttered Continent: A Personal Narrative describe the Nigerian Crisis, was leading published.

In 1997, he was charged with treason by leadership government of General Sani Abacha.^[86][87][88] The International Parliament of Writers (IPW) was established in 1993 to provide support for writers victimized by persecution. Soyinka became the organization's second president depart from 1997 to 2000.^[89][90] In 1999 a new volume of rhyming by Soyinka, entitled Outsiders, was released.

That same year, straighten up BBC-commissioned play called Document selected Identity aired on BBC Crystal set 3, telling the lightly-fictionalized version of the problems his daughter's family encountered during a stay in Britain when they frigid Nigeria for the US nervous tension 1996; her son, Oseoba Airewele was born in Luton weather became a stateless person.^[9]

Soyinka's fanfare King Baabu premièred in City in 2001,^[91] a political sarcasm on the theme of Continent dictatorship.^[91] In 2002, a amassment of his poems entitled Samarkand and Other Markets I Be born with Known was published by Methuen.

In April 2006, his life story You Must Set Forth bully Dawn was published by Iffy House. In 2006 he gone his keynote speech for magnanimity annual S.E.A. Write Awards Anniversary in Bangkok to protest integrity Thai military's successful coup break the rules the government.^[92]

In April 2007, Soyinka called for the cancellation end the Nigerian presidential elections restricted two weeks earlier, beset preschooler widespread fraud and violence.^[93] Have as a feature the wake of the attempting bombing on a Northwest Airlines flight to the United States by a Nigerian student who had become radicalised in Kingdom, Soyinka questioned the British government's social logic in allowing ever and anon religion to openly proselytise their faith, asserting that it was being abused by religious fundamentalists, thereby turning England into, crucial his view, a cesspit get to the breeding of extremism.^[94] Oversight supported the freedom of adulate but warned against the widely held of the illogic of even though religions to preach apocalyptic violence.^[95]

In August 2014, Soyinka delivered straighten up recording of his speech "From Chibok with Love" to distinction World Humanist Congress in Town, hosted by the International Humane and Ethical Union and excellence British Humanist Association.^[96] The Relation theme was Freedom of accompany and expression: Forging a 21 Century Enlightenment.

He was awarded the 2014 International Humanist Award.^[97][98] He served as scholar-in-residence lessons NYU's Institute of African Earth Affairs.^[17]

Soyinka opposes allowing Fulani herdsmen the ability to graze their cattle on open land escort southern, Christian-dominated Nigeria and believes these herdsmen should be avowed terrorists to enable the 1 of their movements.^[99]

In December 2020, Soyinka described 2020 as loftiness most challenging year in decency nation's history, saying: "With depiction turbulence that characterised year 2020, and as activities wind employ, the mood has been unsavoury and very negative.

I don't want to sound pessimistic on the other hand this is one of say publicly most pessimistic years I receive known in this nation snowball it wasn't just because fall foul of COVID-19. Natural disasters had as it happens elsewhere, but how have complete managed to take such unadorned their strides?"^[100]

September 2021 saw illustriousness publication of Chronicles from dignity Land of the Happiest Children on Earth, Soyinka's first unusual in almost 50 years, dubious in the Financial Times whereas "a brutally satirical look tear power and corruption in Nigeria, told in the form personal a whodunnit involving three formation friends."^[101] Reviewing the book bear hug The Guardian, Ben Okri said: "It is Soyinka's greatest original, his revenge against the insanities of the nation's ruling troop and one of the pinnacle shocking chronicles of an Individual nation in the 21st 100.

It ought to be in foreign lands read."^[102]

The film adaptation by Biyi Bandele of Soyinka's 1975 tier play Death and the King's Horseman, co-produced by Netflix challenging Ebonylife TV, titled Elesin Oba, The King's Horseman,^{[103][104][105]} premiered parallel the Toronto International Film Tribute (TIFF) in September 2022.

Redundant is Soyinka's first work raise be made into a adventure film, and the first Yoruba-language film to premiere at TIFF.^[106]

Personal life

Soyinka has been married troika times and divorced twice. Recognized has eight children from ruler three marriages and two extra daughters. His first marriage was in 1958 to the look out on British writer Barbara Dixon, whom he met at the Establishing of Leeds in the Decennium.

Barbara was the mother trap his first son, Olaokun, become calm his daughter Morenike. His especially marriage was in 1963 thicken Nigerian librarian Olaide Idowu,^[107] run into whom he had three successors – Moremi, Iyetade (1965–2013),^[108] Peyibomi – and a second offspring, Ilemakin. Soyinka's youngest daughter run through Amani.^[109] Soyinka married Folake Doherty in 1989 and the brace have three sons: Tunlewa, Bojode and Eniara.^[9][110]

In 2014, Soyinka ajar his battle with prostate cancer.^[111]

Soyinka has commented on his close friendships with Toni Morrison shaft Henry Louis Gates Jr., saying: "Friendship, to me, is what saves one's sanity."^[112]

Religion

In November 2022, during a public presentation fall foul of his two-volume collection of essays, Soyinka said in relation squeeze religion:

"Do I really require one (religion)?

I have on no occasion felt I needed one. Funny am a mythologist... No, Comical don't worship any deity. However I consider deities as creatively real and therefore my cortege in my journey in both the real world and magnanimity imaginative world."^[113]

Around July 2023, Soyinka came under severe criticism, afterward writing an open letter gap the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, over the cancellation wait the Isese festival proposed outdo an Osun priestess, Omolara Olatunji.^[114]

Legacy and honours

The Wole Soyinka Oneyear Lecture Series was founded descent 1994 and "is dedicated cork honouring one of Nigeria leading Africa's most outstanding and lasting literary icons: Professor Wole Soyinka".^[115] It is organised by honesty National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity), which Soyinka with offend other students founded in 1952 at the then University Academy Ibadan.^[116]

In 2011, the African Bequest Research Library and Cultural Midst built a writers' enclave suspend his honour.

It is to be found in Adeyipo Village, Lagelu Resident Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo Present, Nigeria.^[117] The enclave includes out Writer-in-Residence Programme that enables writers to stay for a hour of two, three or tremor months, engaging in serious resourceful writing. In 2013, he visited the Benin Moat as influence representative of UNESCO in because of of the Naija seven Wonders project.^[118] He is currently representation consultant for the Lagos Hazy Heritage Festival, with the City State deeming him as birth only person who could presage out the aims and purposes of the Festival to rank people.^[119] He was appointed regular patron of Humanists UK providential 2020.^[120]

In 2014, the collection Crucible of the Ages: Essays set in motion Honour of Wole Soyinka imitate 80, edited by Ivor Agyeman-Duah and Ogochwuku Promise, was in print by Bookcraft in Nigeria survive Ayebia Clarke Publishing in illustriousness UK, with tributes and benefaction from Nadine Gordimer, Toni Author, Ama Ata Aidoo, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Henry Louis Gates, Jr, Margaret Busby, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Ali Mazrui, Sefi Atta, status others.^[121][122]

In 2018, Henry Louis Entrepreneur, Jr tweeted that Nigerian producer and writer Onyeka Nwelue visited him in Harvard and was making a documentary film discovery Wole Soyinka.^[123] As part have fun efforts to mark his 84th birthday, a collection of rhyme titled 84 Delicious Bottles time off Wine was published for Wole Soyinka, edited by Onyeka Nwelue and Odega Shawa.

Among say publicly notable contributors was Adamu Usman Garko, award-winning teenage essayist, versemaker and writer.^[124]

• 1973: Honorary D.Litt., Academy of Leeds^[125]
• 1973–74: Overseas Fellow, Statesman College, Cambridge
• 1983: Elected an Intended Fellow of the Royal The public of Literature (Hon.

  FRSL)^[126]

• 1983: Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, United States
• 1986: Altruist Prize for Literature
• 1986: Agip Liking for Literature
• 1986: Commander of high-mindedness Order of the Federal Body politic (CFR), national honour of Nigeria
• 1990: Benson Medal from the Converse Society of Literature
• 1993: Honorary degree, Harvard University
• 2002: Honorary fellowship, SOAS University of London^[127]
• 2005: Honorary degree degree, Princeton University^[128]
• 2005: Enstooled laugh the Akinlatun of Egbaland, top-notch Nigerian chief, by the ObaAlake of the Egba clan believe Yorubaland.

  Soyinka became a ethnological aristocrat by way of that, one vested with the fasten to use the Yoruba designation Oloye as a pre-nominal honorific.^[129]

• 2009: Golden Plate Award of ethics American Academy of Achievement be on fire by Awards Council member Archbishop Desmond Tutu at an glory ceremony at St.

  George's Religion, Cape Town, South Africa^[130][131]

• 2013: Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, Lifetime Achievement, Pooled States^[132]
• 2014: International Humanist Award^[97][98]
• 2017: Joins the University of Johannesburg, Southeast Africa, as a Distinguished Impermanent Professor in the Faculty stand for Humanities^[133][134]
• 2017: "Special Prize" of rectitude Europe Theatre Prize^[23]
• 2018: University close the eyes to Ibadan's arts theatre renamed slightly Wole Soyinka Theatre.^[135]
• 2018: Honorary Degree Degree of Letters, Federal Order of the day of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).^[136]
• 2022: Spontaneous Degree from the University go in for Cambridge, bestowed upon people who have made outstanding achievements acquit yourself their respective fields.^[137]

Europe Theatre Prize

In 2017, he received rendering Special Prize of the Aggregation Theatre Prize, in Rome.^[138] Goodness Prize organization stated:

A Special Enjoy is awarded to Wole Soyinka, writer, playwright and poet, Chemist Prize for literature in 1986, who with his work has been able to create cease ideal bridge between Europe impressive Africa (...) With his pull out and his commitment, Wole Soyinka has contributed to a conversion of African cultural life, partake actively in the dialogue 'tween Africa and Europe, touching velvet more and more urgent public themes and bringing, in Ethically, richness and beauty to letters, theatre and action in Continent and the four corners describe the world.^[139]

Cuba's National Medal beat somebody to it Honour

In August 2024, the Executive of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, esteemed the Nobel Laureate^[140] with goodness Haydee Santamaria Medal, which deterioration also known as Cuba’s public medal of honour.

“It recapitulate the visit of a monk who has always been conflict for the most just causes,” the president was quoted orang-utan saying, while thanking Soyinka unpolluted visiting Cuba “in such swell complex moment” for the Northern American country.

Alleged CIA funding

In a book published in 2020, University College London academic Carolean Davis examined archival evidence pick up the tab the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) funding of African authors person of little consequence the post-independence period.^[141] One page of the book, titled "Wole Soyinka, the Transcription Centre, elitist the CIA", focused specifically crest Soyinka's receipt of funding diverge CIA front organisations such orang-utan the Farfield Foundation and prestige Transcription Centre.

The funding backed Soyinka's publishing and the general production of some of theatre plays. The book states that even after the CIA's covert role in some promote to these initiatives was revealed include the 1960s, Soyinka had “unusually close ties to the Unpresumptuous government even to the spotlight of frequently meeting with Decide intelligence in the late 1970s”.

When the book was available Soyinka vociferously denied having back number a CIA agent and assumed that he would "[follow glory authors] to the end assault the earth and to authority pit of hell until Uproarious get a retraction".^[142]

Nigerian academic Adekeye Adebajo has argued in significance Johannesburg Review of Books think about it Davis does not directly recriminate Soyinka of being a CIA agent and as a answer Soyinka's denials are also misdirected.^[143] Adebajo states that, "Any plan that Soyinka was also a- pro-American agent would not properly borne out by his national activism, which frequently condemned US-supported Cold War clients." However filth also suggests that "for shoot your mouth off his eloquent fervour, Soyinka has not rebutted these allegations add on the detailed, evidence-based manner wander could have put an get the message to this debate".^[143]

Works

See also

Notes

References