Wole Soyinka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wole Soyinka
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Soyinka in 2018
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| Born | Akínwándé Olúwolé Babátúndé Sóyíinká 13 July 1934 Abeokuta, Southern Region, British Nigeria |
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| Period | 1957–present |
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| Subject | Comparative literature |
| Notable awards | Nobel Prize in Literature 1986 Benson Medal from Royal Society of Literature 1990 Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award 2009 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, Lifetime Achievement 2012 Europe Theatre Prize - Special Prize 2017 |
| Spouse |
Barbara Dixon
(m. 1958, divorced)Olaide Idowu
(m. 1963, divorced)Folake Doherty
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 10, including Olaokun |
| Relatives | Ransome-Kuti family |
Wole Soyinka (born 13 July 1934) is a famous Nigerian writer. He writes plays, novels, poems, and essays in English. In 1986, he won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature. He was the first person from sub-Saharan Africa to win this important award for literature. The Nobel committee praised his "wide cultural perspective" and how his writing showed "the drama of existence."
In July 2024, the National Arts Theatre in Lagos, Nigeria, was renamed after Soyinka. This was done by President Bola Tinubu to celebrate Soyinka's 90th birthday.
Contents
Wole Soyinka's Early Life and Education
Wole Soyinka was born into a Yoruba family in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He went to Government College, Ibadan in 1954. Later, he studied at University College Ibadan and the University of Leeds in England.
After his studies, he worked with the Royal Court Theatre in London. He wrote plays that were performed in both Nigeria and England. Soyinka was also active in Nigeria's fight for independence from British rule.
Standing Up for Justice
Soyinka often spoke out against Nigerian governments. He especially criticized military dictators and other unfair leaders. He believed in fighting against "the oppressive boot." During the rule of General Sani Abacha (1993–98), Soyinka had to leave Nigeria secretly. He returned in 1999 when civilian rule came back.
Soyinka taught at many universities around the world. He was a professor at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria. He also taught at Cornell University, Emory University, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the United States. He has lectured at famous universities like Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard, and Yale.
Family Background and Childhood
Wole Soyinka was the second of his parents' seven children. He was born in Abẹokuta, Nigeria. His father, Samuel Ayodele Soyinka, was an Anglican minister and a school headmaster. His mother, Grace Eniola Soyinka, owned a shop and was a political activist.
Soyinka grew up in a mix of Christian and traditional Yorùbá beliefs. He attended church and sang in the choir. Later in life, he became an atheist. He wrote about his childhood in his memoir Aké: The Years of Childhood (1981).
His mother's family, the Ransome-Kuti family, was very well-known. They included famous people like the musician Fela Kuti and human rights activist Beko Ransome-Kuti.
Wole Soyinka's Literary Journey
Soyinka showed his talent for writing early on. In 1940, he attended Abeokuta Grammar School. He won many prizes for his writing there. In 1946, he was accepted into Government College, Ibadan, a top secondary school in Nigeria.
After college, he studied English literature, Greek, and history at University College Ibadan. In 1954, his short radio play Keffi's Birthday Treat was broadcast. While at university, Soyinka and six friends started the Pyrates Confraternity. This group worked against corruption and for justice.
Starting His Writing Career
In 1954, Soyinka moved to England. He continued studying English literature at the University of Leeds. He started publishing his work and edited a satirical magazine. His first major play, The Swamp Dwellers (1958), was followed by The Lion and the Jewel. This comedy caught the attention of London's Royal Court Theatre.
Soyinka then moved to London and worked as a play reader. His plays were performed in Nigeria. They often explored the challenges between old traditions and new progress in Nigeria. In 1957, his play The Invention was performed at the Royal Court Theatre.
Soyinka received a research grant to study African theatre. He returned to Nigeria and became co-editor of Black Orpheus, a literary magazine. In 1960, his play A Dance of The Forest won a contest. It became the official play for Nigerian Independence Day. The play criticized Nigeria's political leaders.
Soyinka also started an acting group called "Nineteen-Sixty Masks." He wrote the first full-length play for Nigerian television, My Father's Burden. He also wrote works that criticized the political tensions in Nigeria. These tensions eventually led to a civil war.
Speaking Out and Imprisonment
Soyinka used his writing to criticize government corruption. In 1965, he was arrested for the first time. He was accused of taking over a radio station. He was released after a few months due to protests from writers worldwide. That same year, he wrote Before the Blackout and Kongi's Harvest. He also wrote The Road, which premiered in London.
After becoming head of Drama at the University of Ibadan, Soyinka became more involved in politics. He tried to help prevent the civil war. Because of this, he was arrested and imprisoned for 22 months. He wrote many poems and notes criticizing the government while in prison.
Even while imprisoned, his plays were performed. His poetry collection, Idanre and Other Poems, was published. It was inspired by the Yorùbá deity Ogun, whom he saw as a protector.
After Release and Continued Writing
In October 1969, after the civil war ended, Soyinka was freed. He spent time in France writing The Bacchae of Euripides. He also published Poems from Prison. He then returned to his teaching job in Ibadan.
In 1970, he produced and adapted his play Kongi's Harvest into a film. He also wrote Madmen and Specialists, which premiered in the United States. In 1971, his poetry collection A Shuttle in the Crypt was published. He resigned from his university job and went into exile due to Nigeria's political situation.
In 1972, his novel Season of Anomy and his Collected Plays were published. His powerful autobiography The Man Died, based on his prison notes, also came out. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Leeds in 1973. From 1973 to 1975, he focused on academic studies. He wrote Death and the King's Horseman during this time.
In 1975, Soyinka became editor of Transition Magazine. He used his writing to criticize military governments. After a change in Nigeria's government, he returned home. He continued teaching at the University of Ife.
In 1976, he published Ogun Abibiman (poetry) and Myth, Literature and the African World (essays). In these essays, he explored African theatre and compared cultures. In 1977, his play Opera Wọnyọsi was staged. In 1981, he published his childhood memoir Aké: The Years of Childhood, which won an award.
Soyinka also started a theatre group called the Guerrilla Unit. They worked with local communities to show their problems through plays. In 1983, his play Requiem for a Futurologist was performed. He also released a music album called I Love My Country. In 1984, he directed the film Blues for a Prodigal.
Nobel Prize and Later Years
Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. He was the first African to receive this honor. His Nobel speech, "This Past Must Address Its Present," was about Nelson Mandela. Soyinka strongly criticized apartheid, which was racial segregation in South Africa.
In 1988, his poetry collection Mandela's Earth, and Other Poems was published. He also wrote another novel, Ìsarà: A Voyage Around Essay. In 1993, he received an honorary doctorate from Harvard University. Another part of his autobiography, Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years (A Memoir: 1946–1965), came out in 1994.
In 1994, Soyinka became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. He promoted African culture, human rights, and freedom of expression. In November 1994, he had to flee Nigeria again. He went to the United States. In 1997, the Nigerian government accused him of treason. Soyinka became president of the International Parliament of Writers, which supports writers facing persecution.
In 2001, his play King Baabu premiered in Lagos. It was a political satire about African dictatorships. In 2006, his memoir You Must Set Forth at Dawn was published. In 2007, Soyinka called for the cancellation of Nigerian presidential elections due to fraud. He also spoke about religious extremism.
In 2014, Soyinka received the International Humanist Award. He spoke about freedom of thought and expression. He has also spoken out against certain groups grazing cattle in southern Nigeria. In 2020, he described that year as one of the most challenging for Nigeria.
In September 2021, Soyinka published Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth. This was his first novel in almost 50 years. It is a satirical look at power and corruption in Nigeria. In 2022, a film adaptation of his play Death and the King's Horseman premiered. It was the first Yoruba-language film to show at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Personal Life and Beliefs
Wole Soyinka has been married three times. He has ten children. In 2014, he shared that he had battled prostate cancer. He values his close friendships, saying they help him stay balanced.
Regarding religion, Soyinka has said he doesn't feel he needs one. He sees himself as a "mythologist." He respects deities as "creatively real" companions in his life.
Wole Soyinka's Legacy and Awards
The Wole Soyinka Annual Lecture Series began in 1994. It honors him as a great literary figure from Nigeria and Africa. The National Association of Seadogs, which Soyinka co-founded, organizes it.
In 2011, a writers' center was built in his honor in Nigeria. It includes a Writer-in-Residence Programme. Soyinka is also a consultant for the Lagos Black Heritage Festival. In 2020, he became a patron of Humanists UK.
Many famous writers have contributed to books honoring Soyinka. These include Nadine Gordimer, Toni Morrison, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Key Awards and Honors
- 1973: Honorary D.Litt., University of Leeds
- 1983: Elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
- 1983: Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, United States
- 1986: Nobel Prize for Literature
- 1986: Agip Prize for Literature
- 1986: Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), a national honor of Nigeria
- 1990: Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature
- 1993: Honorary doctorate, Harvard University
- 2005: Enstooled as the Akinlatun of Egbaland, a Nigerian chief. This gave him the right to use the Yoruba title Oloye.
- 2009: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
- 2013: Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, Lifetime Achievement
- 2014: International Humanist Award
- 2017: "Special Prize" of the Europe Theatre Prize
- 2018: University of Ibadan's arts theatre renamed as Wole Soyinka Theatre.
- 2022: Honorary Degree from the University of Cambridge
Europe Theatre Prize
In 2017, Soyinka received the Special Prize of the Europe Theatre Prize in Rome. The organization said he created a bridge between Europe and Africa with his work. They praised his art and commitment to cultural exchange.
Cuba's National Medal of Honour
In August 2024, the President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, awarded Soyinka the Haydee Santamaria Medal. This is Cuba’s national medal of honor. The president called Soyinka "a brother who has always been fighting for the most just causes."
See also
In Spanish: Wole Soyinka para niños
- Nigerian literature
- List of 20th-century writers
- List of African writers
- Black Nobel Prize laureates
- Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa
- List of Nigerian writers
