As part of its 76th Foundation Day Anniversary, the University of Ibadan (UI) has launched the Wole Soyinka Institute to honour its distinguished alumnus, Nobel laureate Prof. Oluwole Akinwande Babatunde Soyinka, a globally celebrated author, humanist, and civil rights activist.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, announced the decision of the university’s council during a special performance of Soyinka’s latest play, CANTICLES: A Pyre Foretold, held at the Wole Soyinka Theatre, formerly known as the Arts Theatre.
Directed by Dr. Tunde Awosanmi, former Head of the Department of Theatre Arts, the 50-member cast play had its premiere on November 17th as part of the university’s convocation ceremonies.
The Vice-Chancellor explained that the institute aims to “serve the global community in research, performance, teaching, and exchange endeavours on Soyinka’s life, works, and ideas related to him.”
He emphasised that establishing the institute is the university’s way of celebrating and immortalising Soyinka, who has brought immense recognition to his Alma Mater.
“For our institution, the Wole Soyinka Institute shall function as a window of seeing the world through new prisms,” Adebowale stated.
“The institute shall be a platform for renegotiating global status for our nation, the African continent, and the entire black humanity.”
The VC highlighted the institute’s role in facilitating global discussions inspired by Soyinka’s politics, ideology, and philosophy.
He envisioned it as a hub for intellectual discourse, fostering the development of young researchers and thinkers worldwide, thereby becoming a significant African contribution to the understanding of humanity for future generations.
Adebowale praised Soyinka as a creative thinker, philosopher, and relentless advocate for civil and human rights. He also traced the Nobel laureate’s journey from his time at the university to his global recognition as the first African recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.
Although Soyinka has been celebrated globally, the VC explained that the university felt it necessary to host its own tribute in honour of his 90th birthday, acknowledging his unparalleled contributions to UI and its prominence on the global academic and creative stage.
During the event, Soyinka was also presented with the PINK International Award by Veronica Isioma Joei’s La Veronica Magazine, recognising his “Lifetime Achievement Award for Literary Excellence and Social Impact.”
The award was presented by Dr. Joe Odumakin, President of Women Arise for Change, alongside Dr. Veronica Okei and Professor Adebowale.
In her remarks, Princess (Dr) Veronica Okei noted that Soyinka embodies the values of excellence, inspiration, and achievement, which the magazine and its awards represent.
Odumakin, in presenting the award, commended Soyinka’s “over 60 decades of activism even at great sacrifices and grave personal risks,” describing his life and work as epitomising “revolution, resistance, resilience, and sheer commitment to the protection of the rights of the individual in society, as well as the survival of our collective humanity.”
Soyinka expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and the university community for the recognition and commended the students for their impressive performance of his play, a testament to the institution’s tradition of producing “quality productions and outputs.
