- Wole Soyinka revealed that being the first sub-Saharan African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature put him in danger.
- He received the award in 1986 for his broad cultural view and poetic style that shaped the drama of life.
- In a recent interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo, Soyinka shared that his involvement in Nigeria’s politics put him in.
Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka revealed that being the first sub-Saharan African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature put him in danger.
He received the award in 1986 for his broad cultural view and poetic style that shaped the drama of life.
In a recent interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo, Soyinka shared that his involvement in Nigeria’s politics put him at odds with those in power, which was risky for him.
He also mentioned that winning the prize made him feel more isolated.
“I felt isolated when I won the Nobel Laureate and I felt much relieved when another African won it. I felt isolated because so much was demanded of me overnight. It was like your constituency was expanded simply because you’re from Africa. At the same time, especially in a society like ours, it exposes you more.
“So it exposes me also to very great danger because I refuse to back down on my beliefs and activities simply because I became a Nobel Laureate,” Soyinka said.
He shared that the late military leader, General Sani Abacha, would have felt fulfilled if he had managed to execute him.
He said, “I always remind people that the most brutal dictator we ever had here, Sani Abacha, would have gone to his grave a happy man if he hanged a Nobel laureate. If he had been able to put on his CV that he hanged a Nobel laureate. As it was, he had to be content with hanging an activist and writer, Ken Saro Wiwa.”
During the oppressive rule of Abacha from 1993 to 1998, Soyinka managed to escape Nigeria on a motorcycle, crossing the Benin border.
Abacha subsequently declared a death sentence against him while he was not in the country. Soyinka returned in 1999 after democracy was restored.
The well-known author mentioned that he isn’t a fan of birthday celebrations.
“Well, that’s the annoying thing. I don’t feel 90. I feel I just have taken birthdays for granted. “Usually, what I do on my birthdays is disappear into the forest. That is my normal way of spending birthdays,” Soyinka, who turned 90 on July 13, 2024, said.
