Ibadan Varsity Launches Wole Soyinka Institute 

Yinka Olatunbosun 

On occasion of its 76^th Foundation Day Anniversary, the University of Ibadan (UI) has established the Wole Soyinka Institute in honour of one of its illustrious alumni, the Nobel laureate, Prof. Oluwole Akinwande Babatunde Soyinka, author and human and civil rights activist, famously referred to as the Global Humanist.

The announcement of the university’s council decision was made by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, recently at the Special Command of Soyinka’s latest play: ‘CANTICLES: A Pyre Foretold,’ at the decades-old Wole Soyinka Theatre, formerly known as Arts Theatre. 

The 50-man cast play,  directed by Tunde Awosanmi (Phd), former Head of Department of Theatre Arts, had earlier premiered on November 17 as the year’s Convocation Play.

According to the VC, the institute is designed to “serve the global community in research, performance, teaching and exchange endeavours on Soyinka’s life, works and ideas related to him.” 

He said Soyinka, being an alumnus of the university establishing the Institute in his honour, is his “Alma Mater’s way of celebrating and immortalising him”.

The VC continued: “For our institution, the Wole Soyinka Institute shall function as a window of seeing the world through new prisms. The institute shall be a platform for renegotiating global status for our nation, the African continent and the entire black humanity. 

“It shall midwife global discourses that are as fierce and at the same time are as humanising as the politics, ideology, philosophy and ideas of the legend, Wole Soyinka. Through the gravitation of the minds and psyche of young thinkers and researchers across races, the institute shall be Africa’s major contribution to the intellectual understanding of the human race into centuries to come.”

Adebowale eulogised Soyinka as a creative thinker, philosopher and fighter for the civil and human rights of individuals as well as the collective. 

Tracing Soyinka’s footprints in the university community and linking same to his global accomplishments, including being the very first African Nobel laureate, the VC said though Soyinka has been widely celebrated across the globe since he turned 90 on July 13, the University of Ibadan insists on having its own celebration of Professor Wole Soyinka’s attainment of the nonagenarian decade. 

“He means so much to our university. He is not just one of our institution’s most visible products, he has brought the highest recognition to the University of Ibadan and gave her an exceptional place on the global map of academic and creative reckoning. The announcement of Professor Wole Soyinka in 1986 by the Nobel Foundation as the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and as the first African to have won the award, topped the numerous honours which he has brought to his Alma Mater,” Adebowale said.

Professor Soyinka, who was also conferred with the PINK International Award at the event by the Veronica Isioma Joei-led La Veronica Magazine, thanked the vice-chancellor and the university community for the recognition, restating his enduring commitment to the cause of humanity. 

He also praised the presentation of his play by the students of the university, reiterating that he was not surprised at the quality performance as the University of Ibadan is known for “quality productions and outputs”.

Titled ‘Lifetime Achievement Award for Literary Excellence and Social Impact,’ the PINK Award was presented by Dr Joe Odumakin, President of Women Arise for Change and promoter of  the Pink International Award,  supported by the initiator, Dr. Veronica Okei, and Professor Adebowale.

In her remarks, Princess (Dr) Veronica Okei said her organisation decided to confer its 11th anniversary and 6th Annual Award on Soyinka because he represents the core values for which the magazine and awards were set up: “A symbol of excellence, a source of inspiration, and a testament to what can be achieved when passion, dedication and talent come together.”

In presenting the award to Soyinka, Odumakin traced the Nobel Laureate’s “over 60 decades of activism even at great sacrifices and grave personal risks.” 

She said Soyinka’s personality and career in writing and activism epitomise core values of revolution, Resistance, resilience and sheer commitment to the protection of the rights of the individual in the society, as well as the survival of our collective humanity.”