(Wole Soyinka Biography, Age,wiki, wife, Family, Children, Name, Date of Birth, wife, Family, Height, Career, Nick Name, Net Worth)
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Contents
Wole Soyinka Biography
Wole Soyinka, whose full name is Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, was born on July 13, 1934 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He is a famous Nigerian writer known for his plays, novels, poems, and essays. Growing up in a Yoruba family in Nigeria greatly influenced his writing.
Soyinka went to Government College, Ibadan in 1954. After that, he studied at University College Ibadan and then the University of Leeds in England, where he obtained a degree in English literature. While he was at Leeds, he was the editor of the school magazine, The Eagle.
Literary Career
Soyinka began his writing career in the late 1950s with his first major play, “A Dance of the Forests”. The play mocked Nigerian political leaders and was created for Nigerian independence celebrations. He formed a theatre group called The 1960 Mask and later started the Orisun Theatre Company, where he produced and acted in his plays.
Soyinka has written a lot of works, including 25 plays, 10 essay collections, 7 poetry books, 5 memoirs, 3 novels, and 2 translated works. Some of his famous plays are “The Lion and the Jewel”, “The Trials of Brother Jero”, “Madmen and Specialists”, “Death and the King’s Horseman”, and “The Beatification of Area Boy”.
Nobel Prize and Recognition
In 1986, Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize in Literature. He was the first person from sub-Saharan Africa to get this award. The Nobel Committee admired his wide cultural knowledge and his poetic way of writing about life. This award made him a very important person in world literature.
Political Activism
Soyinka has always supported democracy and human rights in Nigeria. Because of his political actions, he has been put in jail and had to leave the country at times. During the Nigerian Civil War in 1967, he was arrested and spent two years alone in a cell for trying to help stop the fighting. He has also started and joined many political groups, like the National Democratic Organization and the Democratic Front for a People’s Federation.
Academic Contributions
Soyinka has taught at many famous schools, like Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, and Harvard, Yale, Duke, Emory, and Loyola Marymount in the United States. He has also worked at other schools in Africa and Europe. He has given classes and talks about culture, being a good citizen, and fairness in society.
Personal Life
Wole Soyinka has had three marriages. His first wife was British writer Barbara Dixon, and they got married in 1958. His second wife was Nigerian librarian Olaide Idowu, and they married in 1963. His current wife is Folake Doherty, and they have been married since 1989. In 2014, Soyinka shared that he had prostate cancer but got better after ten months of treatment.
Recent Works and Legacy
Soyinka is still very involved in writing and politics. In 2021, he released “Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth,” his first novel in nearly 50 years. His books are still important, talking about social and political problems and looking at African culture and beliefs.
Soyinka is known for being a talented artist, human rights supporter, and scholar, influencing both literature and politics in Nigeria and around the world. His dedication to justice and freedom continues to guide his life and work.
Conclusion
Wole Soyinka is a famous writer and activist. He is well-known for his books and strong political views. His stories, which often include elements of Yoruba culture and the political situation in Nigeria, are loved by people all over the world. Soyinka’s life and work show how art and activism can influence and change society.
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