By Wole Balogun and Gani Salau
The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Ekiti State chapter on Tuesday held a special reading session in honour of Africa’s first Nobel laureate in Literature, Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, popularly known as Wole Soyinka, to celebrate his iconic contributions to the robust development of African literature and society in general.
The special reading held at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Ekiti State Council in Oke Ori Omi area of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state capital, with writers, journalists and University dons in attendance.
Soyinka was celebrated at the event as the poet, author, playwright, activist, hunter, farmer, academic and singer.
Dr. Sola Balogun who is current chairman of ANA in the state said the reading was organized to demonstrate love and affection for the literary giant who is celebrated mostly by academics, students of the humanities and well wishers who have found his literary works as phenomenal contribution to world’s literature.
In his welcome address, Dr Balogun congratulated all members for the love shown to attend the reading to mark Soyinka”s 87th birthday.
“I want to encourage you to contribute meaningfully towards today’s reading as we celebrate our icon who is celebrating his 87th birthday today”, he said.
Dr Laide Nasir, Associate Professor in the Theatre and Media Arts Department of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, FUOYE, who is also Public Relations Officer of ANA in Ekiti, read an excerpt from Soyinka”s “The Road”, which is a dialogue between two layabouts, Samson and Salubi; who pass a satiric comment on two other main characters in the play, Bishop and Professor. Dr. Nasir noted that Soyinka’s depth as a writer is noticeable in his use of language and vivid imagery which he creates in his writings to draw home his messages.
Another egghead from FUOYE, Dr Michael Adeoye took his own reading from scene one of Soyinka”s “A Dance of the Forests” , entitled: “From Adoni, the lame one, this testimony.”
Dr. Adeoye remarked that Soyinka has a recurrent motif of engaging the relationship that exists among the three worlds of the Living, the Dead and the Unborn in African cosmology. He therefore advised that the contemporary generation should make conciuos effort to draw from the fountain of knowledge, experience and wisdom that are embedded in works of literary giants of Soyinka generation.
A feminist writer and lecturer with FUOYE, Yinka Nasir, who also read an excerpt from Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forests, commented that the literary icon’s works are rich in African traditions. She said: “Soyinka”s literary works are enlightening about African culture because they deal with the roots of Africa. For instance, A Dance of the Forests is about how the past connects to the present and the contempoary Nigerian drama is fast forgetting the past but the point l think Soyinka is making with this play is that our contemporary literary works should be an offshoot of the traditional drama or the African traditions.”
Also Mr. Wole Balogun, Special Adviser on Media Matters to the Vice-Chancellor (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, read excerpts from Soyinka’s ‘Death and the King’s Horseman’ with a focus on the play’s satiric reflection on the tragic flaws of the protagonist. He commented on
how honourable men like Elesin Oba, the lead character in the play typifies the Nigerian politician or leader, who easily meets his downfall from his excessive love for women.
He cited Eleshin’s romantic request for the bride of Iyaloja’s son, on a night that he is expected to join the departed Alaafin in the world beyond. While explaining the other side of the Nobel laureate, Dr Balogun reflected on Soyinka as a singer and activist who, as part of his contribution to social revolution in Nigerian polity, waxed an album, entitled: Unlimited Liability Company in 1983. Balogun remarked that Soyinka has a lot of satirical lyrics in the album.
The Ekiti ANA chairman, who is a former newspaper editor recalled fond memories of Soyinka’s literary escaoades during his over two decades’ career as a journalist. Dr. Balogun recalled in particular Soyinka ‘s hilarious interractions with his bosom friends such as the late Ambassador Segun Olusola, the late Chief Wale Ogunyemi and Tunji Oyelana who is still alive.
Oyelana usually joined Soyinka in composing songs for his plays during rehearsals and the now late Wale Ogunyemi, his typist who later became a playwright.
” I recall in particular how Soyinka and Olusola usually joked about the literary icon’s wedding with his wife, because Olusola was his best man. I also remember how Soyinka’s album critiqued the political crises during the second republic in Nigeria. A big example was the tussle between NPN and UPN over the governorship election in Oyo State Soyinka’s song lambasted and lampooned the politics of bitterness that was rampant in Nigeria then and which still plays out in Contemporary Nigeria,” Balogun remarked.
On a final note, Mr. Adeolu Ajobiewe, the Treasurer of Ekiti ANA, remarked that beyond the love theme in Soyinka’s “The Lion and the Jewel,’ the playwright’s intent could be deciphered in a metaphorical interpretation of seeing Baroka as a caricature of unscrupulous Nigerian politicians who deploy deception and lies to lure gullible Nigerian electorate, as represented by Sidi, the Jewel, into falling into their traps and electing them into office.
He said that in the same stream of thought, Lakunle represents the inexperienced but well-meaning Nigerian politicians, who though have good intentions but are too truthful and innocent to outstmart the antics of the old folks like Baroka in the game of politicking in Nigeria.