Birthday: Wole Soyinka Turns 88 Today.

Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, the first sub-Saharan African to be honoured in that category. Soyinka was born into a Yoruba family in Abeokuta. In 1954, he attended Government College in Ibadan, and subsequently University College Ibadan and the University of Leeds in England.

After studying in Nigeria and the UK, he worked with the Royal Court Theatre in London. He went on to write plays that were produced in both countries, in theatres and on radio. He took an active role in Nigeria's political history and its campaign for independence from British colonial rule. In 1965, he seized the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service studio and broadcast a demand for the cancellation of the Western Nigeria Regional Elections.

In 1967, during the Nigerian Civil War, he was arrested by the federal government of General Yakubu Gowon and put in solitary confinement for two years, for volunteering to be a non-government mediating actor.

Soyinka has been a strong critic of successive Nigerian (and African at large) governments, especially the country's many military dictators, as well as other political tyrannies, including the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe. Much of his writing has been concerned with "the oppressive boot and the irrelevance of the colour of the foot that wears it".[8] During the regime of General Sani Abacha (1993–98), Soyinka escaped from Nigeria on a motorcycle via the "NADECO Route." Abacha later proclaimed a death sentence against him "in absentia." With civilian rule restored to Nigeria in 1999, Soyinka returned to his nation.

In December 2020, Soyinka described 2020 as the most challenging year in the nation's history. He said: "With the turbulence that characterised year 2020, and as activities wind down, the mood has been repugnant and very negative. I don’t want to sound pessimistic but this is one of the most pessimistic years I have known in this nation and it wasn’t just because of COVID-19. Natural disasters had happened elsewhere, but how have you managed to take such in their strides?".

In Nigeria, Soyinka was a Professor of Comparative literature (1975 to 1999) at the Obafemi Awolowo University, then called the University of Ife. With civilian rule restored to Nigeria in 1999, he was made professor emeritus. While in the United States, he first taught at Cornell University as Goldwin Smith professor for African Studies and Theatre Arts from 1988 to 1991 and then at Emory University, where in 1996 he was appointed Robert W. Woodruff Professor of the Arts. Soyinka has been a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and has served as scholar-in-residence at NYU's Institute of African American Affairs and at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. He has also taught at the universities of Oxford, Harvard and Yale. Soyinka was also a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Duke University in 2008.

In December 2017, Soyinka was awarded the Europe Theatre Prize in the "Special Prize" category awarded to someone who has "contributed to the realization of cultural events that promote understanding and the exchange of knowledge between peoples".

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wole_Soyinka

Like for Wole Soyinka
Happy birthday to you sir.

Happy birthday sir

Happy Birthday Sir

Happy birthday Professor

This one you're quiet about 2023 election, abi you never get candidate

Happy birthday prof

Looks healthier than some people

Happy birthday to the Nobel laureate...

Happy birthday to the founding father of cultism

Happy Birthday baba arugbo

Happy birthday to you Professor

Soyinka the great on top

Follow by Ola Rotimi

Then Achebe.

Long life baba.

Role model to many

Happy birthday to the unprecedented Nobel laureate, may your days be long, may you never get into the hands of IPOB miscreants and cannibals

Grey-headedness is indeed a crown of beauty

Tinubu is older than this man

Happy birthday to the founder of cultism in Nigeria
Na wetin them teach me for Civic education

Agbado and cassava is just 70

Happy Birthday Great Poet.

In another news if you are a writer but yet earn with your writing niche there is a secret way to earn @ least $9million monthly or yearly depending on how good you become after the mentorship which goes for $100 (Non negotiable) but there is room for upfront and Instalment payment (twice) then reach out via the Facebook ID on my profile.
Let me drop a hint ....how good will you feel if you master a method which allows for 1million online readers or audience to buy your works for $9....do the maths.
Presently I'm yet to get to 1million audience but I have a sizeable number already and I'm sure of reaching that figure soonest so key in and start your $9million earning journey as a writer.
@Phygo89 I stated how to reach out....
Deep Quote:
Ability to read details and comprehend is a way to becoming a good writer.

Bentonite1:



lol... why don't you use your talent and earn £9m lol

Pinned....I stated it there that I'm yet to reach mine....Be guided @Bentonite1......When peeps like us make posts it's not for the lazy in brain......you should have suggested that schools including tertiary institutes should have all their teachers resign and go make money only with their knowledge and expertise...SMH @ your toxic ignorance.

Deep Quote:
Ability to read and comprehend is a superpower...
@Bentonite1 you lack it.


@Seniorwriter

God gave this man long life o.Wish him many more.

Congratulations to him, Erudite professor..Please, can someone tell me what is happening to Olu Jacob, I felt like crying when I saw his recent pictures. Very great man and actor, if not for the fact they have money, and Jokes care, that man would be on d street now.

A literary pundit, a father to all, an activist, philosopher and the voice of the people let congratulate one of literature founding fathers in NIgeria on his 88th birthday

Tinubu age mate

Happy birthday Prof...

Happy birthday sir

Happy birthday Prof.. you look healthy Sir

Data available �

Happy birthday