WOLE SOYINKA AT 90: SENATOR BABAFEMI OJUDU HOSTS SPECIAL EVENT IN HONOUR OF LITERARY GIANT IN ADO-EKITI
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WOLE SOYINKA AT 90: SENATOR BABAFEMI OJUDU HOSTS SPECIAL EVENT IN HONOUR OF LITERARY GIANT IN ADO-EKITI
It was indeed moments of excitement and joy on Saturday at the ‘Farm’ residence of a former presidential aide, Senator Babafemi Ojudu where scholars, literary giants authors, students, journalists, and others gathered to celebrate the 90th birthday anniversary of globally recognized icon and nobel laureate , Professor Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka popularly refered to as Wole Soyinka.
From students to scholars, authors, arts and culture enthusiasts, they took turn to read and displayed some of the famous literary works of the ‘Eni Ogun’ to the admiration of the guests.
The event was held in collaboration with the Ekiti Book Club ; Association of Nigerian Authors(ANA) Ekiti chapter ; Ekiti state Tourism Agency ; and the Ekiti state Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria
Speaking, Senator Babafemi Ojudu called on Nigerian youths to emulate the zeal and commitment of celebrated noble laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka in fight for good governance and better Nigeria at younger age.
The renowned journalist explained that youths should not wait for leaders to carry placards or protest for social justice, rather they should stand up and demand good governance from their leaders like the nonagenarian did when he was younger.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for honoring the literary giant by renaming the National Theaters in Lagos after him, saying, ” those are the people we should be honouring. The people who have given so much to this country; the people who are good examples and role models to our children, not people who are rich and their money will just be for a while.”
He described Soyinka as a hero who deserves to be celebrated daily for his contributions not only to the literary space but his efforts at entrenching democracy and its values in the country and beyond.
The former presidential aide who noted that even though Soyinka might not have seen a country he wished for in terms of social, economic and political developments, he said he had done his best for Nigeria, ” and let our young ones start advocating for a better Nigeria and not wait for a 90-year-old man to lead protest for them.”
According to him, “He(Soyinka) never gave up even at the face of persecution and arrest, he continued to fight for a better Nigeria. He fought for the democracy we are enjoying today and I don’t think there is any other Nigerian like him in terms of the tasks he has given himself to birth a better country.
” He is 90 but Nigeria is not yet a country he wished but he has done his own. When I saw some young men condemning him of not fighting the present government and I asked them if you have a grandfather who is 90 , will you want him in the streets carrying placards?
” I tell them to go and fight for a better Nigeria ; Soyinka started about the age of 20. You don’t need to call an old man to fight your battle for you, he has done his own for us as a country. Let our young ones takeover towards achieving a greater country.
” Soyinka fight for the people, he fight against oppression, injustices. All of those things are still in our society, so Soyinka will become a symbol for fighting all of those ills in the society. It’s a journey, it’s not a destination, we must continue to refine our system, we must continue to aim and build a better society and that is what today stands for.”
Speaking on reasons for celebrating the nonagenarian in the state, Ojudu said, ” First of all, let me say I passed through Soyinka as a student of University of Ife, I have also been involved with him in the struggle for a better Nigeria. Beyond that, is the fact that he belongs to humanity, to the Africa, to the world and to Nigeria, and Ekiti is part of the world. Ekiti is a state that is known as fountain of knowledge and Soyinka symbolizes knowledge, so we believe that If he is been celebrated in all part of the world, he should be celebrated here as well.
” Apart from the fact that his conglome is ‘eni ogun’ and ogun is from here, so we believe that there is a place which we adopt him as our own in continuation of the tradition of Ogun. And I hope you know what Ogun symbolizes, it symbolizes creativity, courage, revolution and those are the qualities we admired in him and that is why he is being celebrated.”
In their separate remarks, president of Ekiti book club, Adesina Adetola; chairman tourism practitioners, Dr Abigael Olagbaye ; chairman of ANA, Dr Olugbenga Daramola and the DG of State’s Bureau of Tourism Development, Wale Ojo-Lanre commended senator Ojudu for hosting the event, noting that Soyinka remained African famous literary icon who deserved to be celebrated by the people.
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