Reasons we love Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Akinwande Oluwole “Wole” Soyinka is set to grace the Storymoja/ Hay Literature Festival this year. Incidentally, he had been invited to last October’s festival but could not make it. “My absence was particularly regrettable,” he later commented, “because I had planned to make up for my failure to turn up for the immediate prior edition. Participant or absentee however, this is one edition we shall not soon forget,” said Soyinka. He spoke of this return at a conference in honor of the late Ghanaian poet, Professor Kofi Awoonor who died in the Westgate tragedy. Awoonor was set to perform at the literary festival alongside his African counterparts.

In an act of solidarity with fans, the festival, and with Kenya in this time of rising insecurity, the author will be present at this festival. As if those are not enough, we list more reasons to love the legendary Soyinka.

1. Recognition: He was the first African to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. He was described as one “who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence” at the awards for his contribution to Literature.
2. Activism: Not only is he a playwright, author and poet, he is very vocal in matters of political tyranny and is always ready to speak out against ”the oppressive boot and the irrelevance of the colour of the foot that wears it”.
3. Surviving the Death Sentence: Nigeria became too dangerous for Soyinka’s fearlessly outspoken demeanor during the rule of General Sani Abacha and he escaped from Nigeria via the “Nadeco Route” on a motorcycle. Abacha proclaimed a death sentence against him “in absentia”. He later returned when civilian rule was restored in in 1999. Still a champion for human rights, he found himself in prison twice without any evidence against him.
4. Writing style: Eldred Jones in his book, Wole Soyinka deciphers exactly what makes him stand out, “The essential ideas which emerge from a reading of Soyinka’s work are not especially African ideas, although his characters and their mannerisms are African. His concern is with man on earth.”

In preparation for this year’s festival, get acquainted with Wole’s unique style which blends traditional Yoruba folk-drama with European dramatic form to provide both spectacle and penetrating satire. We recommend Ake: The Years of Childhood, his memoirs of his early years.

Look out for more updates on this year’s Storymoja Festival here: https://www.facebook.com/StorymojaFestival?fref=ts