“How the Nobel Prize Exposed Me to Dangers”: “Wole Soyinka Opens Up
- Wole Soyinka revealed that winning the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature exposed him to heightened risks
- Soyinka recounted how his refusal to compromise his beliefs during General Sani Abacha’s brutal regime
- Soyinka revealed how he narrowly avoided execution by fleeing Nigeria on a motorcycle via the Benin border
Nigerian literary icon and Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has revealed that winning the prestigious 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature exposed him to significant dangers.
The renowned playwright shared how the global recognition brought both acclaim and isolation, along with intensified risks in his home country.
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka shares insights on the dangers and challenges he faced after winning the prestigious prize.
Photo credit: Mondadori PortfolioSource: Getty Images
Soyinka made this revelation in a recent interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo.
Soyinka, who became the first sub-Saharan African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, described the mixed feelings that came with the honour, as reported by The Punch.
He said:
“I felt isolated when I won the Nobel Laureate. I felt much relieved when another African won it.
“It was like your constituency was expanded simply because you’re from Africa. At the same time, especially in a society like ours, it exposes you more.”
Despite his elevated global stature, Soyinka noted that he remained steadfast in his commitment to fighting for justice in Nigeria, even during some of the country’s darkest political times.
Soyinka revealed that his refusal to back down on his beliefs placed him in danger, particularly under the regime of General Sani Abacha, Nigeria’s brutal military dictator from 1993 to 1998.
His words:
“Winning the Nobel Prize didn’t change my stance or activities but it exposed me to great danger because I refused to back down.
“I always remind people that the most brutal dictator we ever had here, Sani Abacha, would have gone to his grave a happy man if he hanged a Nobel laureate. I
“If he had been able to put on his CV that he hanged a Nobel laureate. As it was, he had to be content with hanging an activist and writer, Ken Saro Wiwa.”
Soyinka: How I closely escaped death
Adding, Soyinka narrated how he narrowly escaped the fate of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed by the Abacha regime, Vanguard reported.
The playwright fled Nigeria on a motorcycle, making a daring escape via the Benin border, after Abacha issued a death sentence against him “in absentia.”
He said:
“I escaped on a motorbike, but Abacha wanted me dead. He would have been very pleased to have added me to his list.”
Soyinka returned to Nigeria in 1999 when the country transitioned back to democracy, but the memory of those perilous years remains etched in his mind.
Wole Soyinka opens up on his religious faith
In a similar development, TheTalk.NG reported that Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has explained that Orisa worship, an African religious practice, resonates more deeply with him due to its artistic, creative, and non-violent nature.
Soyinka made this disclosure in a recent interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo, Soyinka reflected on his spiritual upbringing.
For Soyinka, Orisa worship was far more engaging and mysterious than the Christian and Islamic faiths.
Source: TheTalk.NG
