15 hours Ago By Guardian Nigeria
As part of the outlined programmes for the fourth-quarter of 2024, on Saturday, December 21, 2024, the Council and Management of Obafemi Awolowo University paid a courtesy visit to the world-acclaimed playwright, novelist, poet and essayist, Professor Emeritus Wole Soyinka. Wole Soyinka, the 1986 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature, was a Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Ife between 1975 and 1999. He was awarded Emeritus Professor by the authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University in 1999.
The December visit was in appreciation of the long-standing relationship which Prof. Wole Soyinka has had with the University and also in recognition of his landmark contributions to the field of African literature, culture and world civilisation. The visit was also intended to brief WS about the plan of the Council and Management of Obafemi Awolowo University to immortalise him and ideals in 2025.
The Ife years of WS were certainly very productive and impactful. During his Ife years, Soyinka published his poetry collection, Ogun Abibiman, and Myth, Literature and the African World. In 1976, his play Death and the King’s Horseman was premiered.
Between 1977 and 1984, he also authored Opera Wonyosi, The Biko Inquest and his autobiographical work Ake: The Years of Childhood and Requiem for a Futurologist. In 1983, his musical project, Unlimited Liability Company issued a record entitled, I love my Country. In 1984, Soyinka directed the film Blues for a Prodigal, and his A Play of Giants also made its debut.
During the visit, which was facilitated by Uncle Tunde Kelani (TK), I informed our WS about the strength and diversity of our new Governing Council which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR inaugurated on July 4, 2024. The government-appointed members consist of retired Ambassador Edward Sarki, mni, from Gombe State; Barrister Joseph Abaagu, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Benue State; Abubakar Kachalla from Yobe State; Hon. Wahab Owokoniran from Lagos State and Prof.
Siyan Oyeweso, the Pro-Chancellor, from Osun State. The Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Prof. Simeon Adebayo Bamire, led the Management Team, which included the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof.
Olubola Babalola; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. O. M.
A. Daramola; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Development), Prof. Akanni Akinyemi; the Registrar, Mr.
Adetunji Bakare and the Bursar, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ikeola Abogan. Other internal members of the Governing Council in the delegation were Prof.
Abiodun Ayoka, Prof. Emmanuel Babalola, Prof. Akinloye Farinde, Prof.
Julius Ayinde and Dr. Adewale Ajao. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof.
Olubola Babalola (2nd left) presenting Prof. Wole Soyinka a portrait, while the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simeon Adebayo Bamire (left) and Pro-Chancellor, Prof.
Siyan Oyeweso (right) look on. Prof. Wole Soyinka heartily welcomed the delegation from OAU to his Ijegba Country Home.
He began by first expressing his worry over the recent felling of trees in one fell swoop by the management of a sister university for the construction of a senate building and wondered why the environment was not considered under such circumstances. Prof. Soyinka recalled his time at Ife when a similar occurrence was about to take place and he and his colleagues had to stand before the bulldozer to stop the destruction of the university’s beautiful landscape and flowers.
After the regular introduction of the delegation by the University Registrar, Mr. Adetunji Bakare, I expressed my appreciation to Prof. Soyinka for accepting to receive the delegation.
I recalled my student days at Ife and how the Laureate was instrumental to my love for reading of African Writer Series. I also briefed WS about the recently concluded 48th Convocation Ceremony of the University, which had national and global attendance. I also utilized the occasion to formally invite WS to the 49th Convocation of the University in December 2025.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simeon Bamire, also briefed Prof. Wole Soyinka about the giant strides which the University had recorded since the inception of his administration two and a half years ago.
He also pointed to the recent huge donation given to the University by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CFR, for the beautification and aesthetics of the University. He then informed Prof. Wole Soyinka of the University’s desire to set up a centre of excellence in his name and to seek his support towards its short-term and long-term objectives.
The Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Oyeniyi Okunoye, further explained that the University intends to establish Wole Soyinka Centre of Excellence in African Literature, which is envisaged to be an international research centre to be affiliated to departments in which African and Black Literatures are taught and Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library. He hinted that the Centre aims to recognize and showcase Prof.
Soyinka’s works to a new generation of scholars, students and curious minds. He said a more robust idea of what the Centre would look like, its present and future projections and programmes would be presented to the Laureate at another meeting. In his response, Prof.
Soyinka thanked the delegation for the honour and for making the time to visit him. He welcomed the idea of a centre in his name but emphasized that rather than a concrete infrastructure, the promoters of the idea could pursue the collection and preservation of Africa’s intangible cultural heritage. All parties agreed to go back and return with a revised proposal at a yet-to-be-fixed time to formalise all agreements.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Mrs. Olubola Babalola, in her vote of thanks, expressed appreciation to Prof.
Soyinka for his time and used the opportunity to present gifts and a frame to him..
