Didn’t know I would live to be 90 — Wole Soyinka

Renowned Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist, Professor Wole Soyinka has said he never knew he would live to be 90 years old.

He added that he decided to be a writer to correct some anomalies from stories he heard while growing up.

The Nobel Laureate said these while answering questions from about 383 students. The students participated in the 2024 edition of the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange Programme.

The event was held at Prof. Soyinka’s ARI residence, Ijegba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on  Monday, July 14.

Professor Soyinka was born on July 13, 1934. He clocked 90 years on Saturday.

On why he broke into a radio station during the military era, Soyinka said: “I never broke into a radio station, but sneaked in.

“The radio station was holding on to something that belonged to the people. And I decided to retrieve it. If that item had been played, it would have demoralised the people and established the culture of brutality.”

Also, he chided Nigerians for always critising the State but refusing to examine themselves.

He noted that crimes like kidnapping and robbery, among others, are not because of poverty or inequality. Soyinka said they were due to selfishness and the desire to live a luxurious life.

He lauded Governor Dapo Abiodun for helping to develop the environment around his abode and saving it from degradation, even as he emphasized that this has led to his not abandoning the country.