Abdul itibaren Sundarpur, Bihar 813209, India itibaren Sundarpur, Bihar 813209, India

1: April 2009 2: Chapter 38

I knew of Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. The highly respected and prodigious poet, playwright, novelist and essayist was in self-exile when I first came to Nigeria in 1995. It wasn’t until the despotic dictator, Sani Abacha, who put a price on the professor’s head, died, and the nation was restored to the democracy it barely had an opportunity to foster since the colonial state became a sovereign country in 1960, that Soyinka dared set foot in his homeland again. The controversial scholar became a symbol of freedom to Nigerians living too long under the oppressive rule of tyrant after dictatorial tyrant. Just as the man was a symbol, so became his trademark white afro and beard, to the man himself. Soyinka steadfastly refused to cut the thing that made him most visible to his detractors – his hair. Yet, in order to travel during his exile, the professor resorted to wearing different disguises to fool Abacha’s henchmen who were constantly on a global search to secure Soyinka’s permanent silence. He had several different personas he replaced himself with. Using elaborate costumes and make up, he was, at different times a diamond merchant from Sierra Leone, a heavy rasta character and a turbaned Malian. I met Wole Soyinka in a most serendipitous way. In late June, 2006, I was flying on Air France’s daily flight from Paris to Lagos. Sitting in front of me was a distinguished looking African gentleman. He had a big white Afro and, at least from behind, reminded me of the pictures I had seen of Soyinka. Then, as I turned the page of the June 26, 2006 international edition of Time that I was reading, I saw a photo of the man himself. He and the gentleman sitting in front of me were the same person. Folding my magazine so his story was on the outside, I approached him and asked, “Would you please sign my magazine. My wife will never believe I met Wole Soyinka if you don’t.” Mr. Soyinka smiled, waved away my offer of a pen, took the magazine and autographed the top of the page with the pen in his pocket. As he handed me the Time back, I told him it was an honor and he replied, “Nice meeting you,” or words to that effect. A brief meeting with one of the world’s greatest living writers, but it had a profound effect. To my shame, I don’t recall ever reading any of Soyinka’s works. But the man exuded an invisible essence that made me feel he’s lived experiences I never will nor would ever want to. He also looked like a sage, someone with wisdom far greater than any I will ever boast. When I arrived home in July, I showed my prized Time to my wife, who is a journalist and writer. A few days later I tried to locate Soyinka’s newest book, You Must Set Forth at Dawn, a memoir that covers much of the author’s adult life. I finally had to have Barnes & Noble order it. Wole Soyinka has penned one of the most extraordinary memoirs I ever read. In his writings, a giant of a man is revealed, one who, in his 70s, could yet change Nigeria for the better. Twenty-one years ago, Wole Soyinka became Africa’s first Nobel Laureate. That honor was celebrated by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) in a literary fiesta at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, on August 25 and 26, 2006. This international colloquium, designed to celebrate Soyinka’s Nobel Prize, also examined trends in Africa’s contemporary literary exploits. The nobel Prize has brought much honor and respect not only to the recipient but to the country he was born in. Nigerians, at one time, seriously wanted him to run for the highest office in the land, the presidency. He has always refused to run for election for any office. Soyinka does wield a lot of weight both inside and outside politics and government and his opinions are highly sought.