Nigeria peace talks 'fruitful' Nov 16, 2009
Nobel-prize winning Nigerian writer and political activist, Wole Soyinka, also took part in the talks. Thousands of militants have given up their weapons in an amnesty deal offered by Mr Yar'Adua in June. (BBC News -- Africa)
Nigerian militants say peace talks start with govt Nov 15, 2009
The Movement for the Niger Delta (MEND) said a team of representatives including Nobel Prize-winning writer Wole Soyinka and two retired senior military officers met Yar'Adua for more than two hours on Saturday. "This meeting heralds the beginning of serious, meaningful dialogue between MEND and the Nigerian government to deal with and resolve root issues that have long been swept under the carpet," MEND said in an emailed statement. (AlertNet)
Africa: Continent's Elite and the Western Media Nov 4, 2009
There is little doubt that Achebe and others such as Wole Soyinka and Ngugi wa Thiong'o have demonstrated that the African has his story. Thus, decades after their efforts to redress the battered image of the African, there are reasons to believe that we have moved beyond the world shaped by the 19th century ideas of the African. (allAfrica.com)
Rebels declare 'truce' Oct 26, 2009
" MEND's attacks on Nigeria's oil industry have helped play havoc with oil prices on the world market and brought down the country's oil production by a third since 2006. Nigeria is the world's eighth-largest oil producer. The group said it has put together a team to discuss its demands with the government, including Nigerian Nobel literature laureate Wole Soyinka. The Abuja government welcomed the development, but said it would not talk with the MEND-appointed team. "The people selected are not... (iAfrica.com)
Two Afro-Asian Leaders: Kufuor and Zulfi Bhutto in Identical Portraits. Oct 20, 2009
In January 2007, Professor Wole Soyinka, the first black writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, went to the Ghanaian capital, Accra, to launch the 400-page revamped and appreciatively revised volume of Between Faith and History. As the guest speaker, Professor Soyinka was launching the book at a function organized by the Ghana-based public policy think tank, the Centre for Intellectual Renewal and the U.K. based Ayebia Clarke Publishing ( Ayebia being a former editor of the prestigious... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Bali escapes tide of recession Oct 16, 2009
The just-concluded sixth annual festival featured Nigerian Nobel laureate playwright Wole Soyinka, New Zealand's Lloyd Jones, whose Mister Pip was short-listed for the 2007 Booker Prize, and India's Vikas Swarup, whose novel Q&A became the film Slumdog Millionaire, and it seemed as well attended as in past years. The festival also made its first foray beyond Bali with a reading and performance by 15 Indonesian and international writers at the Borobudur temple in Yogyakarta, Java. (Asia Times Online)
Nigeria's oil targeted Oct 16, 2009
The rebel group set up a committee which included 1986 Nobel laureate in literature Wole Soyinka to run negotiations with the government but talks never transpired. AFP. (iAfrica.com)
Nigeria: An Open Petition to President Umaru Yar 'Adua Oct 13, 2009
They may convene a "Chalk Handing In" workshop and invite Prof Wole Soyinka to come and speak on it. Prof Soyinka may then come and say that "capitulation is deleterious 'inimical and detrimental to anthropological self -determination and should be employed with suitable restraint ..." By which he would simply mean that they should hold on to their chalks and their principles. (allAfrica.com)
Winners of Nobel Prize in literature since 1960 Oct 8, 2009
1986: Wole Soyinka, Nigeria. 1985: Claude Simon, France. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Science)
* Top Nigerian militants disarm under amnesty Oct 5, 2009
Earlier this week MEND named a team of mediators, including prominent writer and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, to open talks with the authorities. Laying down his arms, Tom, the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante, an ethnic Ijaw militia group, warned that his fighters would resume attacks if authorities fail to make good on their pledge to develop the region. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Human rights: Long, courageous struggle for justice Oct 3, 2009
The highest praise came from Wole Soyinka, the 1986 Nobel Prize laureate for literature. Soyinka said he once nominated Fawehinmi for a Nobel Peace Prize, for cutting ogres down to size with the law. (Boston Globe)
Ghana to Host African Writers Day Sep 18, 2009
They include Wole Soyinka (Nobel literature laureate), Dr. Mohammed Salmawy (President of the Egyptian Writers' Union) and Prof. Abiola Irele of Harvard University. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Wanted: Somebody With An African Sensibility Steeped In Controversy Aug 16, 2009
He is the 63rd intellectual in the world, according to the foreign policy body that puts together the ratings, with Nigerias Wole Soyinka at 55. That makes Ayittey one of very few Africans, not more than four, whose efforts are internationally recognised. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Nigeria: Soyinka to March For Electoral Reform Aug 12, 2009
Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Monday signified his readiness to join Nigerians on a street protest to the country seat of power to press for the actualization of the Justice Uwais report on Electoral Reform. Soyinka, who spoke in Kano shortly after paying what he called 'a solidarity visit to Governor Ibrahim Shekarau as the last man standing' explained that for it remain the only hope to sidetrack and protect Nigerian democracy. (allAfrica.com)
Citizen playwright Aug 4, 2009
Wole Soyinka: Nigeria's Nobel Laureate - CNN.com ... Wole Soyinka: Nigeria's Nobel Laureate ... (CNN) -- Poet, dramatist and novelist, Wole Soyinka's work has left a large imprint on the literary landscape of Africa. (CNN -- International)
Nigeria: A Niger Delta Republic? Jul 30, 2009
His face could be mistaken for the face of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka. By his right side stood a bearded diminutive figure dressed in black suit. (allAfrica.com)
Obamas Speech An Intellectual Vindication Jul 20, 2009
The internalist camp was pitifully sparse, populated by such luminaries as Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka. Those of us in that camp were pilloried, reviled and called all sorts of names. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Highly-Anticipated 'Firsts' in Singapore Sun Festival 2009 Jul 3, 2009
Other 'first' celebrity appearances at the Festival include prolific author and spiritual advisor, Deepak Chopra, who will enlighten Festival-goers on their physical and mental wellbeing; whilst Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, will expand the horizons of literary aficionados and playwrights as he shares his insights on writing for the stage; singer-songwriter, Elvis Costello, will be rocking Singapore at the Esplanade Concert Hall with his greatest hits at his one-night-only Singapore premiere... (PR Newswire)
Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo placed under arrest (AP) Jun 26, 2009
More than 150 writers and rights activists, including Salman Rushdie, Nadine Gordimer and Wole Soyinka, have signed an open letter to President Hu Jintao urging Liu's release. Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, also wrote Hu last month asking that Liu and other Chinese "prisoners of conscience" be released. (Yahoo News -- Technology)
How Nigeria Viciously Undermined Election 2008 Jun 26, 2009
Wole Soyinka, added his voice and considerable weight to that of those on the side of restitutive justice by publicly and vehemently calling on Chief Dzelukope to return his Abacha-proffered loot. We also vividly recall Chief Dzelukope cavalierly parrying off the allegation and even furiously characterizing it as a patent absurdity of the highest order. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Authors urge Liu Xiaobo release Jun 24, 2009
Wole Soyinka, Salman Rushdie, JM Coetzee and Umberto Eco are among those demanding his immediate release. Mr Liu was arrested last month after he and hundreds of other Chinese intellectuals issued a wide-ranging call for political reform. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Obama's Choice To Visit Ghana First In Africa Is Wise Jun 19, 2009
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka The latest to join the battle of words is the popular Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who indicated that Obama's choice of Ghana is a wise decision: "If Obama decides to grace Nigeria with his presence, I will stone him. The message he is sending by going to Ghana is so obvious, is so brilliant that he must not render it flawed by coming to Nigeria any time soon," he said ... Ambassador Chinade continued: "It's most unfortunate that a prominent... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Obama's choice of Ghana over Nigeria breeds trouble Jun 1, 2009
Wole Soyinka whips up political frenzy in Nigeria The proposed visit of US President, Barack Obama, to Ghana has whipped up frenzy among ordinary Nigerians and is now turning into a political and diplomatic tug of words ... The latest to join the battle of words is the popular Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who indicated that Obamas choice of Ghana is a wise decision: "If Obama decides to grace Nigeria with his presence, I will stone him. The message he is sending by going to... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
* Climate change kills 300,000 per year, study finds May 31, 2009
On Thursday, 20 Nobel prize winners, including Wangari Maathai, Wole Soyinka and US energy secretary Steven Chu, called for a global deal on climate change that matches the scale and urgency of the human, ecological and economic crises facing the world today. This story has been viewed 347 times. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)
May 29 Not Democracy Day, Soyinka Insists May 30, 2009
With these words last night at the London Metropolitan University, Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka urged Nigerians and indeed those in the Diaspora to move democracy forward from the realm of rhetoric to action that will lead to the enthronement of genuine democracy in the country. Meanwhile, Nigeria's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, who denied widespread allegations at the colloquium last night that the Federal Government subtly mobilised to stop the London... (Guardian News, Nigeria)
Nigeria: Obama's Visit - 'Soyinka's Outburst Embarrassing' May 26, 2009
Wole Soyinka on the scheduled visit of American President Barack Obama to Ghana describing it as embarrassing and undiplomatic. Special Adviser to President Umaru Yar Adua on Foreign Affairs, Amba-ssador Jibrin Chinade said Soyinka's statement, "which he is entitled to, is most unfortunate and un-diplomatic because he chose the wrong venue and ended up embarrassing the Italian Ambassador who had invited him for an art exhibition.". (allAfrica.com)
Escalation of Niger Delta crisis dominates Nigerian papersLagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The escalation of the perennial crisis in Nigeria's Niger Delta oil region so dominated the country's newspapers during the week that little or no attention was paid to other big events, especially on the sports scene. 23/05/2009 Full Text... May 24, 2009
Wole Soyinka, has condemned the si t uation as 'unconscionable and unacceptable', warning that unless something is do n e to halt the killings, it will soon feature in the International Court for crim e s against humanity,'' The Guardian reported. In an attempt to end the crisis, President Umaru Yar'Adua reminded the militants that the amnesty he announced for them recently was still open. (Panapress.com)
Nigeria viewpoint May 15, 2009
VANGUARD'S LIVING LEGENDS Chinua Achebe Writer King Sunny Ade Musician Enoch Adeboye Pastor Dora Akunyili Minister of Information Chief Emeka Anyaoku Former Commonwealth Secretary General David Dafinone Accountant Aliko Dangote Industrialist Philip Emeagwali Computer scientist Anthony Enahoro Democracy activist Gani Fawehinmi Human rights lawyer Yakubu Gowon Former military head of state Nwankwo Kanu Footballer Balarabe Musa Politician Olusegun Obasanjo Former president Chukwuemeka Odumegwu... (BBC News -- Africa)
Ekiti debacle lingers May 1, 2009
Wole Soyinka has declared the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof ... "If the eight local governments where election has been concluded in the re-run are added to the six already decided, that means election has been concluded in 14 out of 16 local governments. This has more than satisfied the Constitutional stipulation,'' it said. AC also said on the basis of precedence, the REC is on a solid ground, morally and legally, to announce the results of the Ekiti... (Guardian News, Nigeria)
Leaders honour Adesanya, lament state of the nation Apr 28, 2009
His words: "Chief Obafemi Awolowo disliked military regime, but his contribution during the Gen. Yakubu Gowon-led military regime is unquantifiable. Bola Ige too served under a government he did not believe in their ideology. Alhaji Lateef Jakande also served under Gen. Sani Abacha. Even Prof. Wole Soyinka served under the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime. And I know that Adesanya was also on very good terms with Gen. Abdulsalam. So, why he refused to serve under that government I may never know.".... (Guardian News, Nigeria)
Africa: Soyinka Attacks Political Leaders [staff blog] Apr 16, 2009
Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka has launched a new attack on Africa's political leaders, this time singling out heads of state who retain their grip on power by entering into coalition or unity governments ... I think Africa and Africans should be proud of voices of that of Wole Soyinka, your analogy of pen and political issues is not only flawed but weak and ignorant ... I think Africa needs more voices like that of Wole Soyinka and not corrupt, embezzling and short-sighted appeasers like... (allAfrica.com)
How Did University of Ghana Become Nigerias Deus Ex Machina? Apr 5, 2009
Their Wole Soyinka ever won a Nobel Prize in Literature. Achebes works have a place in our hearts. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Soyinka, at Awo's lecture, queries Nigeria's nationhood Mar 4, 2009
Wole Soyinka, used the occasion of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Centenary Lecture Series at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, yesterday, to replay the question of nationhood and Nigeria's quest for it. His discourse: "Between Nationhood and nation Space" identified religion as an enemy of the state, although Soyinka confessed that "I have nothing against religion. I have visited the cathedrals, Shinto temples and synagogues in the course of my travels" but the... (Guardian News, Nigeria)
