Wole Soyinka is 77 Today!
Africa's first Nobelist, Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka - commonly referred to as Wole Soyinka, is celebrating his 77th birthday today. According to Cassava Republic, a list of literary events have been planned to celebrate this great personality.
In Abuja, the Arojah Royal Theatre will be hosting a series of readings from Soyinka's plays and poems, as well as talks around the theme "My Favourite Wole Soyinka Book". [courtesy: Cassava Republic]
Over here at ImageNations - and this is something we would be looking out for, henceforth - I bring you links to Soyinka's books that have been reviewed here:
- The first is his memoir You Must Set Forth at Dawn reviewed on August 25, 2010.
- The next is his play The Lion and the Jewel reviewed on November 22, 2010.
I also treat you to Soyinka's famous poem Telephone Conversation, wherein he treats racism with humour and sarcasm.
Telephone Conversation
The price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. “Madam,” I warned,
5 “I hate a wasted journey—I am African.”
Silence. Silenced transmission of
Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was, foully.
10 “HOW DARK?” . . . I had not misheard . . . “ARE YOU LIGHT
OR VERY DARK?” Button B. Button A. Stench
Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
Red booth. Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered
Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
15 By ill-mannered silence, surrender
Pushed dumbfoundment to beg simplification.
Considerate she was, varying the emphasis—
“ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?” Revelation came.
“You mean—like plain or milk chocolate?”
20 Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
Impersonality. Rapidly, wavelength adjusted,
I chose. “West African sepia”—and as an afterthought,
“Down in my passport.” Silence for spectroscopic
Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
25 Hard on the mouthpiece. “WHAT’S THAT?” conceding,
“DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.” “Like brunette.”
“THAT’S DARK, ISN’T IT?” “Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but madam, you should see
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
30 Are a peroxide blonde. Friction, caused—
Foolishly, madam—by sitting down, has turned
My bottom raven black—One moment madam!”—sensing
Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
About my ears—“Madam,” I pleaded, “wouldn’t you rather
35 See for yourself?”
[Source]
Happy 77th birthday Soyinka... Ogun, the god of Iron, bless your path and lengthened your days on this earth, that whilst you leave you would still be with us.
Happy Birthday to Soyinka. May he keep on doing all that he is doing. His writing and activism is very much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteNot someone I was aware of, so first a thanks for the introduction & I will try to finds some poetry collections to increase,my understanding. But 2nd & of a greater importance, I wish Soyinka a splendid birthday.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Wole Soyinka!
ReplyDeleteHaving you above ground gives me hope that many can still learn more from you.
Well done ImageNations!!
Happy birthday to Soyinka indeed! He well deserves all praise. I love that poem as well, I remember first reading it when I think Kinna posted it? Fantastic.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!! Thanks Nana, for letting me know.
ReplyDeleteSoyinka's on my list of authors to read someday, Nana, but I'm not sure where to start since several of his works sound interesting. Do you (or your readers) have a particular recommendation of a work by him for me to get me started? Thanks!
ReplyDelete@Richard... Begin with a play... perhaps Kongi's Harvest.
ReplyDelete@Geosi, you're welcome.
ReplyDelete@Think-About-it... thanks
ReplyDelete@Amy, yes that poem is fantastic. i laugh every time I read it.
ReplyDelete@PL... he's a Nobelist and there are several points on the line you can start reading about him. Ake the Years of Childhood is his memoir of his childhood days. It has received much praise and so too has his play, Kongi's Harvest. The Lion and the Jewel is a comic piece that would leave you in joyful tears.
ReplyDelete@Kinna... yep. There is more to read of him
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Soyinka! I remember that poem from long ago--thanks for posting it here, Nana.
ReplyDeletePowerful poetry. Tragic but funny in an awful way. I own a copy of Ake and have yet to read it for the Read the Nobels Challenge. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDelete@Niranjana you are welcome
ReplyDelete@Sandra... I hope to read Ake too. In fact it is on one of my challenges.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Soyinka...may u live to give us more poems.
ReplyDeleteWole Soyinka is an interesting playwright: I've read a collection of his early plays and they're quite good, especially "A Dance of the Forests."
ReplyDelete