Professor Wole Soyinka
There are writers, there are intellectuals, and there are moral giants whose influence transcends literature to shape the conscience of nations. Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka belongs unmistakably to the latter category. As he celebrates his 92nd birthday, the world salutes not merely Nigeria’s greatest literary icon, but one of humanity’s most enduring champions of justice, freedom and the dignity of the human spirit.
For over seven decades, Wole Soyinka (Kongi) has stood as an unyielding voice against oppression, tyranny and intolerance. His life has been defined by extraordinary courage, immense scholarship and a solid commitment to truth, regardless of the consequences. He is not simply a Nobel laureate; he is an institution whose intellectual influence stretches from Africa to Europe, the Americas and Asia.
I had the chance of a close encounter with Kongi in August 2023, when Jahman Anikulapo, my brother, friend and colleague (Anikulapo is Editorial Director of Naija Times) and Soyinka’s trusted mentee, invited me to a Public Exchange, titled “Isese, Samarkand and Other Markets of the Mind,” held at Kongi’s Harvest Art Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos. The Isese masterclass in public intellectual engagement was far more than a lecture on Yoruba traditional religion – it became an important conversation on religious freedom, cultural identity, intellectual inquiry and democratic values.
