UI names institute after Soyinka, who receives Lifetime Achievement Award at convocation play

During the performances that concluded the university’s 2024 Convocation and 76th Foundation Day events, Professor Soyinka received the Prestige, Integrity, Nobility, and Knowledge (PINK) Lifetime Achievement Award on Tuesday at the Wole Soyinka Theatre in UI.

Wole Soyinka’s recent play, “Canticles for a Pyre Foretold,” served as the inspiration for the convocation play.

The Pink Award’s organizers revealed that Soyinka received the honor in recognition of his contributions to literature, society, and knowledge.

Dr. Veronica Okei, the creator of the PINK Award, called Soyinka a living legend and a huge boon to Nigeria.

“PINK, now in its eleventh year, is a platform for celebrating achievers,” said Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, president of Women Arise for Change Initiative and organizer of the PINK Award. He added that no human rights campaigner has had the kind of influence Soyinka has had in the last 60 years.

A man of the people, Professor Soyinka is a mystery who has become immortalized in writing. We shall continue to preach about him for years to come,” she added.

Speaking about the prize, Soyinka said that although he liked the meaning of the PINK acronym, pink is not his favorite color.

“I will try my best to celebrate privately with pink champagnes,” he said, thanking Women Arise and PINK for the distinction.

At the celebration, the university’s vice chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, also emphasized how important the Nobel laureate is to the ivory tower, saying that Soyinka’s name is synonymous with the university and that she has brought several honors and recognitions to the institution.

According to the VC, all of the playwright’s plays have been produced repeatedly in the university’s art theater, which was named in honor of Professor Wole Soyinka in 2018.

He disclosed that in addition to the Wole Soyinka Foundation, Soyinka has designated the university as one of the institutions to oversee his home in Abeokuta.

The university will create the Wole Soyinka Institute, “where all the works and anything that has to do with the playwright will be studied,” the VC further disclosed.

According to the “Canticles,” the convocation performance tells the story of Deborah Emmanuel, a young woman who was a second-year student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto who was stoned and burned to death for defaming Islam.

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The performance also discussed child marriage, which is common in northern Nigeria, as well as other extreme religious and spiritual rituals that are prevalent there.

Soyinka provided commentary on his new play, “Canticles for a Pyre Foretold,” in the convocation play manual. According to him, the “Canticles” depict the natural conclusion of religious tolerance, wherein killing, inciting killing, and similar acts become commonplace.

“But the ‘Canticles’ are a challenge to the human right to reason and a fundamentalist pledge of solidarity with the sanctity of every human life,” he continued.

The director, Dr. Tunde Awosanmi, provided additional information about the play, stating that it falls under the realistic satire genre. He stated that the play’s foundation is the belief that “all earth is home of the deities” and has its roots in religion and spirituality.

He claimed that in many places, gospel preachers, evangelists, and enforcers of foreign religions had caused a profound mistrust of the soil in Africa and other continents.

“Canticles” by Soyinka boldly questions all haughty religions worldwide. “Religions should be strongholds and havens of humanity, tolerance, and stoicism,” he continued.