Wole Soyinka Biography: Wife, Plays, Age, Books, Net Worth, Children, Nobel Prize, Education, Poems, House, Quotes

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Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, better known by his pen name Wole Soyinka, is an internationally renowned Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet and essayist. Born on July 30, 1934, he was the first African to be awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature, receiving the honor in 1986.

Wole Soyinka’s work is rich and varied, including plays, novels, poems and essays marked by his skillful use of the English language. He was known for his sharp intelligence, keen observation, and unyielding commitment to truth and justice. As such, he has become a true prophet for the African continent, offering insights into its multifaceted experiences.

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Wole Soyinka’s works are indispensable for those who want to learn more about African culture. His writing is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant, offering insight into the complexity and richness of the African experience.

Nigerian playwright

Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka: History ‧ Bio ‧ Photos
Wiki Info & About Data
First and last name:	Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka
Stage name:	Wole Soyinka
Born:	July 13, 1934 (89 years old)
Place of birth:	Abeokuta, Ogun, Nigeria
State of origin:	Ogun State
Nationality:	Nigerian
Height:	do not apply
Parents:	Samuel Ayodele Soyinka, Grace Eniola Soyinka
Siblings:	Atinuke Tinu Aina Soyinka, Femi Soyinka, Yeside Soyinka, Omofolabo Folabo Ajayi-Soyinka, Kayode Soyinka, Folashade Soyinka
Wife • Spouse:	Barbara Skeath, Olaide Idowu, Folake Doherty-Soyinka (d. 1989)
Girlfriend • Partner:	do not apply
Children:	Olaokun Soyinka, Morenike Soyinka, Makin Soyinka, Moremi Soyinka-Onijala, Iyetade Apampa, Peyibomi Soyinka-Airewele, Oretunlewa Soyinka, Amani Soyinka, Tunlewa Soyinka, Bojode Soyinka, Eniara Soyinka
Job:	Playwright • Novelist
Net value:	15 million USD

Early life

Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, better known by his alias Wole Soyinka, was born into a fascinating and multifaceted community in Abeokuta, Nigeria, on July 30, 1934. He was a descendant of the Isara rulers . At that time, Nigeria was a British colony. He is the second child in a family of seven children.

His siblings are Atinuke Tinu Aina Soyinka, Femi Soyinka, Yeside Soyinka, Omofolabo Folabo Ajayi-Soyinka and Kayode Soyinka. Folashade Soyinka, his sister, died on her first birthday. The cultural and religious diversity of his upbringing, coupled with his early access to electricity and radio, undoubtedly contributed to the depth and complexity of his literary works. grandfather.

The second of seven siblings, Soyinka Soyinka was born into a family with strong ties to Nigeria’s founding fathers. His father, Samuel Ayodele Soyinka, was an Anglican pastor and rector, while his mother, Grace Eniola Soyinka, was a devout Anglican and political activist. Although he grew up in a religious family that mixed Yorùbá and Christian beliefs and practices, he eventually lost his faith as he grew older.

The religious and cultural diversity of Wole Soyinka’s community, as well as his access to many different forms of media, undoubtedly influenced his writing. His plays, novels, poems and essays often incorporate elements of Nigerian folklore and mythology while also addressing pressing political and social issues. Wole Soyinka’s sharp wit and unwavering commitment to truth and justice earned him the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature, making him a true sibyl of the African continent.

Education

From an early age, Wole Soyinka showed a talent for writing and was awarded several awards for his compositions while studying at Abeokuta Grammar School. In 1946, he was admitted to the Government College in Ibadan, one of Nigeria’s leading secondary schools.

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He then pursued further studies at the University of Ibadan, affiliated with the University of London, from 1952 to 1954. There he studied English and Greek literature and Western history under the guidance of the scholar English writer Molly Mahood, among others. In 1954, Wole Soyinka wrote and produced the radio play Keffi’s Birthday Treat for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service. He also co-founded the Pyrates Society, the first fraternity in Nigeria, during his time in college.

Wole Soyinka’s early education laid the foundation for his later success as a writer and political activist. His plays, novels, poetry and essays earned him many awards and honors, including the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. He continues to be a prominent and influential figure in Nigeria and around the world, using their writing and voice to spread the word. justice and freedom.

After completing his studies at University College Ibadan in 1954, Wole Soyinka embarked on a prolific and distinguished career as a writer and political activist. In 1959, he published his first poetry collection, Idanre and Other Poems, which brought him widespread acclaim and cemented his reputation as a leading voice in Nigerian literature.

In the 1960s, Wole Soyinka’s plays, such as The Trials of Brother Jero and The Lion and the Jewel, became prominent plays on the Nigerian cultural scene. These works, which deal with themes of corruption, injustice, and abuse of power, have helped raise awareness of Nigeria’s challenges under a military dictatorship.

Throughout his career, Wole Soyinka courageously used his writing and voice to advocate for justice and freedom. His efforts were recognized with many awards, including the esteemed Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. He remains a preeminent and influential figure in Nigeria and beyond, using his extraordinary talents. often to inspire and empower others.

Personal life

A famous scribe and Nobel Prize winner, Wole Soyinka was married three times and divorced twice. His first wedding was to the deceased British author Barbara Skeath, whom he met at Leeds University in the 1950s. From this union he gave birth to two descendants: Olaokun Soyinka and Morenike Soyinka. In 1963, he married a Nigerian librarian named Olaide Idowu and they had four more children: Makin Soyinka, Moremi Soyinka-Onijala, Iyetade Apampa (deceased) and Peyibomi Soyinka-Airewele. He also has a son named Oretunlewa Soyinka from a previous marriage.

Wole Soyinka’s youngest daughter’s name is Amani Soyinka. In 1989, he married Folake Doherty-Soyinka and they had three sons together: Tunlewa Soyinka, Bojode Soyinka and Eniara Soyinka. In 2014, Wole Soyinka revealed to the public that he was battling prostate cancer.

Wole Soyinka was an accomplished writer, publishing several novels, plays and poetry throughout his career. He is known for his political activism, often using his work as a means to criticize the Nigerian government. He was imprisoned for opposing the country’s military dictatorship in the 1960s and was later awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.

In addition to his writing and activism, Wole Soyinka is also a respected scholar. He studied at Leeds University, earning a degree in English literature, and subsequently taught at various universities in Nigeria and abroad. He holds the title of professor emeritus at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.

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Despite his many achievements, Wole Soyinka remains humble and continues to use his platform to speak out against injustice. He continued to write and engage in political activism, remaining a respected figure in the Nigerian political and literary world.

Career

After earning a Master’s degree at the University of Leeds, Wole Soyinka aimed to create plays that combined European theater styles with plays from his Yorùbá heritage. His first major play, The Swamp Dwellers, opened in 1958, and the following year his comedy The Lion and the Jewel attracted a number of individuals at the Royal Court Theater in London. .

Buoyed by this response, Wole Soyinka moved to London and secured employment as a play reader for the Royal Court Theatre. His plays continue to delve into Nigeria’s tense relationship between progress and tradition. The Invention, his first play staged at the Royal Court Theatre, premiered in 1957. In addition to his plays, he published poems such as The Immigrant and My Next Door Neighbor me in Nigeria’s Black Orpheus magazine.

Wole Soyinka’s literary prowess was celebrated in 1986 when he became the first person from Africa to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He was praised as an individual “with a broad cultural perspective and poetic resonance that created the drama of existence”.

Reed Way Dasenbrock has said that awarding the Nobel Prize in Literature to Wole Soyinka “may be controversial but is completely deserved”. He also pointed out that this is the first time the Nobel Prize has been awarded to an African writer or any writer of the “new literature” in English that emerged from former British colonies.

In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, “This past must deal with its present,” Wole Soyinka mentioned Nelson Mandela and his struggle for freedom in South Africa. His speech was a direct criticism of apartheid and the racist policies that the South African National government had imposed on most of its people. In 1986, he was also honored with the Agip Award for Literature.

In August 2014, Wole Soyinka presented a recorded version of his speech, From Chibok with Love to the World Humanist Congress in Oxford, presented by the International Humanist and Ethical Union and the British Humanities Organisation. The theme of the Congress was Freedom of Thought and Expression: Towards 21st Century Enlightenment, and he was awarded the 2014 International Humanities Prize. He also served as a resident scholar at the Institute of Humanities Affairs. NYU African American Studies.

Net value

Wole Soyinka is a famous Nigerian playwright famous for his works that have won many awards, including the Nobel Prize in Literature. He is also an avid political activist, often taking stances against the Nigerian government.

Wole Soyinka is believed to have a net worth of $15 million, which he has used to support many causes, such as the arts and human rights.

Social Media

• Instagram handle: @Wolesoyinka
• Twitter name: @Wolesoyinkacentre

Drama

• Keffi’s birthday party
• invention
• Swamp dwellers
• The quality of violence
• The lion and the pearl
• Brother Jero’s Trials
• Dance of the forest
• My father’s burden
• Strong breed
• Before the power went out
• Kongi’s harvest
• Road
• Crazy people and experts
• Bacchae of Euripides
• Camwood on leaves
• Jero’s metamorphosis
• Death and the King’s Horseman
• Opera Wonyosi
• Inquiry for a futurist
• Game of giants
• Children’s International
• From Zia with love
• Detained person
• A disaster of water hyacinth
• Beatification ceremony for a local boy
• Identification
• King Baabu
• Etiki Revu Wetin
• alapata apata

Source: https://anhngunewlight.edu.vn
Category: Biography