People from all walks of life at the weekend gathered together in Ekiti State to celebrate the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka on his 90th birthday.
The event came up at the “The Farm.’ in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital where personalities including students, academics, politicians, Community leaders and media practitioners extol the virtue of the nonagenarian.
Former Federal lawmaker, Senator Babafemi Ojudu at the event highlighted some of the contributions of the celebrant to the development of the country, he described Soyinka as a rare gem in terms of the risks he encountered to better Nigeria.
Ojudu stated that the writer was celebrated in Ekiti because,’ Soyinka is the re-incarnate of Ogun, the god of iron and Ogun is from Ire town in Ekiti state”. Ojudu added, “Soyinka is a multitalented person and lover of Native, every 13th of July, he shall be celebrated”.
Three different organizations that came together to celebrate Soyinka on the birthday anniversary were, the Ekiti Book Club, Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria and the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA in the state.
The President of Ekiti Book Club, Adeshina Adetola described Soyinka as synonymous to the book, hence the need for the celebration. He said,”We are here today to celebrate somebody who is synonymous to the book.
He is a writer and writers in this world have the cause to celebrate him that’s why 3 organizations came together to celebrate the giant of literature in Africa”.
The Chairmen of the Association of Tourism Practitioners, Dr Abigail Olagbaye and that of the Association of the Nigerian Authors ANA, Dr Olugbenga Daramola stated that Nigeria has a cause to celebrate the Nobel Laureate as “he was celebrated in Morocco, the US and other parts of the world for the immeasurable contributions to humanity”.
On his part, the Director General, DG, Bureau of Tourism in the state, Ambassador Wale Ojo Lanre said “Ekiti is celebrating one of the best products ever produced by God, we are celebrating the African giant.
“This is the 1st time Soyinka is being celebrated in Ekiti. We thank Ojudu for the initiation”,. Ojo Lanre said.
The event witnessed literary readings, the stage play of Soyinka’s ‘Death and the King’s Horseman’ and the performance of traditional rites to add funfair to the occasion.
