Lead Photo: The Akogun of Isara, Professor Wole Soyinka, in the middle; flanked by the Otun- Akogun of Isara, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka ( Left); Bldr. Kunle Awobodu ( Right); and members, Isara Council of Chiefs at Isara-Remo…on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
In his speech, Prof. Soyinka thanked the Isara people for considering him worthy to be celebrated recently. He apologised for his non-regular visit to the town. It was due to his worldwide lecturing engagements. He prayed to the Almighty God to enable him develop the land that the town gifted him when he won the Nobel laurel in 1986
YEAR 2024 drew attention to the relevance of age in the rungs of a life’s ladder. Conducting an experiment in the physics laboratory, the dialectical relationship between reflection and refraction in a prism is significantly determined by the angle of incidence, the varying wavelengths of light. In such a circumstance, light can be bent.
Looking beyond the immediate, the deeper raison d’etre for the celebration of the birthday of an enigma, who, paradoxically, does not attach much importance to such an annual ritual becomes discernible.
Stepping into the threshold of the nonagenarian in fine fettle deserves some encomium. However, a cumulative performance evaluation in the exclusive literary spectrum that eventuated in outstanding success spurred the global celebration of Professor Wole Soyinka at 90 by his admirers.
Those of us who benefitted from this fount of knowledge, through his books, became interested in the birthday programmes. Writing skills, including structure, sentence construction, and vocabulary, are developed by avid reading of English literature. The essence of including English literature and liberal studies in the school curriculum is to prepare pupils and students for effective communication, including the techniques of report writing.
The contribution made by notable novelists of the African Writers Series such as Chinua Achebe, Camara Laye, Ngugi we Thiong ‘o, Cyprian Ekwensi, Peter Abraham and Wole Soyinka in the development of writing skills of students cannot be quantified.
Going back in time to our secondary school days, the complexity associated with Wole Soyinka’s writings made some of us who cherished intellectual challenges delve into the profundities of his works. The so-called vocabularies, intricate narrative, became simplified within. I deciphered Wole Soyinka’s writings with glee. His use of one-word sentence termed
holophrastic sentence was fascinating. The cryptic expressions in his book, ‘The Man Died’ helped drill the cerebral mind in the interpretation of the Delphic messages embedded in the scripts of the ancient Greek tragedians.
My interest in literature and history as a science pupil impelled me to the realm of oddity, becoming the only pupil in our secondary school to combine physics with history in the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE).
The literary works of Wole Soyinka unknowingly laid a foundation for my future assignment, such as becoming the editor-in-chief of the intercampus journal named “The Galaxy” while I was a student in the Department of Building/Civil Engineering.
Subsequently, I ventured into creative writing. As reviewed by Dr. Reuben Abati, and closely observed by the former President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Odia Ofemun, the novel Vizan Tragedy, which was dedicated to immortalising the engineering genius, Prof. Ayodele Awojobi is a fusion of science and literary knowledge. According to a renowned film producer, Tunde Kelani, adapting the novel into a film in Nigeria then would require advanced technology.
As a member of ANA, I was able to share from the inextinguishable excitement, sustained experience of writers when Nigeria succeeded in producing the first African Nobel laureate in literature.
Naturally, any student of history would feel irked when such a revered name was being dragged into the murky water of politics. This was the appropriate time to show appreciation to the one who has contributed to the educational upliftment of many.
The erudite professor of literature authored three biographies with titles named after towns. (1) Ake, (in Abeokuta) (2) Isara (in Ijebu-Remo Land), and (3) Ibadan.
On June 5, 2024, I received a document outlining worldwide locations of events, marking the 90th birthday of the literary icon.
Curiously, I observed that birthday activities were scheduled to take place in many locations, including Abeokuta and Ibadan, but none at Isara. It is pertinent to note and recall that the man being celebrated did not initiate these birthday activities. Individuals and organisations independently embarked on the various programmes.
I made enquiries. Obviously, there was nobody nor any organisation that was planning any programme for Wole Soyinka @90 in Isara. This seemed an anomaly. Apparently, Isara was relegated in the beehive of birthday activities.
SOYINKA was born and bred in the Ake area of Abeokuta. Hence, the book Ake is his childhood biography. His mother was an indigene of Abeokuta. Both parents of his resided in Abeokuta. However, his father hailed from Isara. Hence, his book, ‘Isara’ is a voyage around his father and a tribute to notable personalities from Isara. The book is also a worthwhile historical documentation.
When a Nobel laureate in literature names his or her book after a town, that town automatically gains global recognition. In reciprocity, such a town should be conspicuous in the activities marking the achievements of such a literary guru.
Goaded by this incongruous situation, I drew the attention of one of the professor’s children, Mrs. Moremi Soyinka-Onijala, Esq to my observation. Our thoughts were in sync. Her positive response stimulated my reaching out to the Chairman, Isara Development Council, Mr. Benson Olusesan Lawal. I consulted with some prominent indigenes of Isara. Events unfolded in rapid succession.
Barr. Moremi, who resided in Abuja, joined her elder brother, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka in Lagos to pay a visit to Isara on Monday, 1st August 2024. I also arrived at the meeting point beside Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade on time from Lagos. A contingent led by three prominent leaders in Isara, Chief Pekun Awobona, Chief Adesoye Sobowole, and Mr. Benson Lawal came to welcome us.
The motorcade descended to the valley and climbed the hill into the main town, traversing the 3-kilometre-long Prof. Wole Soyinka Way. This road that led to Isara town from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was named after Prof. Wole Soyinka when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1986.
Arriving at the residence of the king, we were welcomed by the council of chiefs and entertained by traditional masquerades and drummers. We paid homage to the Odemo of Isara, HRH Oba Albert Mayungbe. He blessed the homecoming of the Soyinkas. He eulogized their grandparents, Samuel Ayodele Soyinka, aka Essay and Grace Eniola Soyinka, for championing the establishment and construction of Anglican Secondary Modern School, Isara, which he (king) attended in 1957.
The school belonged to St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Isara-Remo, where Essay’s father, John Soyinka, was the Baba-Ijo (Head of the congregation). John Soyinka also held the chieftaincy title, Asipa of Isara-Remo.
G.E. Soyinka, an activist, aka Wild Christian, was a formidable woman leader of the church. Essay Soyinka, who was the headmaster of St. Peter’s Anglican Primary School, Ake, Abeokuta, later became a supervisor of Anglican Schools in the vast Lagos Anglican Diocese that extended to Isara-Remo. Hence, he was able to promote education among Isara children, who later helped advance the social-economic development of the town.
The couple was popular in Isara-Remo and its environs as the strong marital relationship symbolised the age-long intermarriages and unity between the Egbas and Ijebu-Remo people, having a common land border and cultural affinity.
One of the high chiefs of the town, Olisa, reminded the gathering of the tarred major roads in Isara that were attributed to an indigene of the town winning the Nobel Prize for Literature. The erstwhile Governor of Ogun State, Gen. Raji Rasaki personally supervised the road project in honour of Prof. Wole Soyinka. It was also mentioned that the professor donated handsomely to the palace building project.
The chiefs collectively thanked Dr Olaokun Soyinka for upgrading the government hospital in Isara while he was the Ogun State Commissioner for Health.
The guests and others later took a tour of the town.
The 90th birthday of Prof. Wole Soyinka will be on 13th July 2024. Getting a free date around that day for the Isara programme was difficult. The Soyinkas, after consultations among themselves by phone and in anticipation of the return of their family members in the diaspora, including the birthday man; Monday, 15th July 2024, was unanimously chosen.
Having less than two weeks to prepare for this event was quite challenging. The responsibility of the coordination rested on my shoulders. Mobilisation commenced in earnest.
In the midst of the preparations, a relation of mine identified the availability of the celebrant on the chosen date as a conundrum. Why?
In the mid-80s, in those days of intercampus journalism, I travelled from Lagos to Ile-Ife in order to invite Prof. Wole Soyinka to deliver a lecture at our students’ union programme. He was unable to honour our invitation. Circa 2000, I invited him to deliver a memorial lecture for Prof. Ayodele Awojobi. He was unable to attend the programme. About two years ago, I invited him to the annual conference of the Nigerian Institute of Building ( NIOB) in Lagos, he was not available.
As a leader in the Nigerian construction industry, I thought it was strategic to add the loud voice of a social critic to our advocacy against incessant building collapse in Nigeria. Coincidentally, on Saturday, 13th July 2024, the exact day the professor turned 90, a building collapsed in Abuja.
The inability of Prof. Soyinka to honour the invitations was not deliberate. His busy schedules were responsible for the shortcomings. In my archive are the letters he wrote, politely turning down the invitations.
The scepticism being nursed by this relation of mine would not deter our preparation drive. A goal-getter must think positively. Pessimists hardly get results. It was wrong for my cousin to predict ab initio that the professor might not attend the event.
On D-Day, Monday, 15th July 2024, the turnout for the celebration at Afotamodi Town Hall in Isara was very impressive.
The event was chaired by the Senator currently representing Ogun East Senatorial District, a former Governor of Ogun State, Engr. Otunba Gbenga Daniel. A member of Ogun State House of Assembly, representing Remo-North Constituency, Hon. Kola Awolaja; the Chairman of Remo-North Local Government, Prince Adedapo Odunsi; the wife of former President of Nigeria, Mrs. Alice Obasanjo; Chairman, Gaskia Media Ltd, a former Director, Tell Magazine, Chief Dare Babarinsa; Executive Director, The News/ PM News, Mr. Kunle Ajibade and other notable guests were in attendance.
Prominent Isara indigenes, who travelled down and were too numerous to mention, ensconced themselves in front rows in the hall.
A large number of Soyinka family members and the in-laws graced the occasion with their presence. Rev. Kayode Soyinka, who arrived from London, conducted the opening prayer. Readings from the book, ‘Isara’ were done by Prof. Omofolabo Ajayi-Soyinka, professor of Theatre Arts, Women and Gender Studies, University of Kansas, USA.
There came an announcement from the council of chiefs that Dr. Olaokun Soyinka would be conferred with the chieftancy title of Otun Akogun of Isara-Remo, while his sister, Barr. Moremi Soyinka-Onijala would be given the title of Yeye Mofin of Isara-Remo. Thunderous applause engulfed the hall.
The main item on the agenda of the birthday event was the presentation of educational materials to pupils by the children of Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Pupils from the secondary schools in the town occupied a large area in the hall.
The literary arts-inclined pupils stepped forward to recite poems to the admiration of the guests. Fortunately, the renowned poet, Akeem Lasisi; the popular actor, Dele Odule; and the famous movie producer, Tunde Kelani, were in attendance.
One of the daughters of Prof. Wole Soyinka, Peyibomi Soyinka-Airewele, a professor of Politics, Ithaca College, New York; and the Chair, the Ithaca Human Rights Commission coordinated the distribution of school bags and books to the pupils. The task gained support from Barr. Moremi and the grandchildren of Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Each pupil, on collecting the gifts, swang enthusiastically to the orchestra of the Choice Band.
Makin Soyinka rendered an apology on behalf of his father, whose extremely crowded international schedule prevented him from attending this event. However, he promised to visit Isara soon.
Two days later, fully back in the country, Prof. Wole Soyinka was able to attend an evening birthday programme organised for him at the Government House, Marina, Lagos by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. A few of us were in attendance.
Soon, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun also honoured the professor with an event in Abeokuta. He was in attendance.
Then on Sunday, September 15, 2024, the Akogun of Isara-Remo, Prof. Wole Soyinka fulfilled his promise. From Sapade, beside Gateway Polytechnic, I led his entourage through Prof. Wole Soyinka Way to the abode of the king.
In the Akogun ‘s entourage were Dr Olaokun Soyinka, Dr Paul Bankole, Dr Kolade Mosuro and Dr Tunde Awosanmi.
The king and the council of chiefs welcomed the guests. Prof. Wole Soyinka made a presentation of his literary works to the Odemo and his council.
IN his speech, Prof. Soyinka thanked the Isara people for considering him worthy to be celebrated recently. He apologised for his non-regular visit to the town. It was due to his worldwide lecturing engagements. He prayed to the Almighty God to enable him develop the land that the town gifted him when he won the Nobel laurel in 1986.
Immediately after the meeting, the guests and the entourage paid a visit to the one-acre land. The well-located and accessible land was still preserved, untouched by land grabbers.
From his coign of vantage, Prof. Wole Soyinka had a panoramic vista of the beautiful topography. He sighed ecstatically. This location would be suitable for an amazing belvedere. The spectacular scenery would always make Isara an attractive site for the movie industry, the guests and retinue commented generally.
The motorcade proceeded to the Anglican Church necropolis. The cemetery is located a stone’s throw from St. Peter’s Anglican Church and behind the Anglican Secondary Modern School, which has now been transformed to Remo Anglican College (REMAC). Sherperded by Mr. Femi Ojebiyi, we located the combined tomb where S.A. Soyinka, who died on 5th January 1973 at the age of 67 and the wife, G.E. Soyinka, who died on 24th April 1983 at the age of 75, were interred in seriatim.
The sight of the tomb and the sombre ambience triggered a sequence of activities in my memory. I was standing close to this grave on the 9th of January 1973, singing a hymn and watching the burial procedure of S.A. Soyinka. I was a primary school pupil and a member of the Anglican choir. On that day, there was a general subtle concern about the absence of one of the deceased’s children who, conspicuously, could not pay the last respect to his father. The reason adduced to this aberrance centred on banishment. My curiosity at having a proper understanding of the terminology, ‘political exile’ at that young age made me learn more about Prof. Wole Soyinka’s activism during the Nigerian civil war that precluded him from witnessing the burial of his father. He was incarcerated over his opposition to the internecine war. He was charged with treason for assisting the Biafran secessionists.
Quietude enveloped the cemetery as Prof. Wole Soyinka communed with the creator while bowing before the tomb of his parents.
In this private obeisance, somebody behind me lamented the absence of a complete fence at the cemetery, thereby exposing the consecrated ground and the dead to grave scavengers.
After a short prayer by the Anglican Reverend, Olatunji Ojetola, we retired to Soyinka’s family house on Odemo Road, Isara.
Behind the two-storey building (consisting of a ground floor and an upper floor) was a garden in which Barr. Moremi reiterated that she espied the apparition of her grandfather, Essay on the night he was buried in1973.
I was fascinated by the architectural design and the construction techniques of the building that reflected the works of the Brazilian emancipadoes of Lagos Island. I requested to know the builder of the house and the year it was constructed. I learnt that the custodian of the building, Prof. Femi Soyinka passed on recently. May he find eternal peace in maintaining the historic building. A house from where many educationists emerged would remain a landmark.
Prof. Wole Soyinka whispered to his sons, Olaokun and Makin, to remind him of research work he needed to come back and carry out in the town. A secret long consigned somewhere might be unearthed.
As we were about to leave for our various destinations, we were reminded not to forget the yearning of the pupils and students at Isara-Remo and its environs: To bring to them Isara, a stage adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s memoir, Isara as directed by Prof. Femi Osofisan.
Sponsorship for such an educational programme in the new year should be a collective responsibility. Knowledge is power. Knowledge is development.
- Kunle Awobodu, who writes from Lagos is a former National President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) and the Pioneer National President of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG)
