For Wole Soyinka at 90, By Ladipo Adamolekun

I first met you on your hospital bed in UCH in October or November 1965 in the company of two or three Ibadan student activists. I no longer remember how your message reached us. You charged us to disrupt the November 1965 University’s Convocation that Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa had committed to attend. You correctly considered him responsible for the prevailing chaos in Western Nigeria at the time.

Hearty congratulations on your 90th. “Your mental and physical energy at 80 hint that Nigeria and humanity will continue to benefit from your contributions for another two decades, at least!” I am delighted that the hope that I expressed in my brief message to you ten years ago became reality. Your ongoing annual teaching and mentoring stint at New York University (NYU) in Abu Dhabi is a highly commendable intergenerational knowledge transfer at the international level. May Nigeria and humanity continue to benefit from your contributions for another decade! 

I first met you on your hospital bed in UCH in October or November 1965 in the company of two or three Ibadan student activists. I no longer remember how your message reached us. You charged us to disrupt the November 1965 University’s Convocation that Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa had committed to attend. You correctly considered him responsible for the prevailing chaos in Western Nigeria at the time.  

You’ve maintained your passionate crusade for social justice over the decades. Our phone conversation on 25th September  2010 remains unforgettable:   

“Diary entry, September 26th 2010: In a phone conversation of September 25th, WS explained his continued political activism (convention of his political party was held on that day) as follows: “Ki won le wi nipa t’emi pe mo se won ti mo le se.”

I salute your courage and humanity. Igba odun, odun kan!

Ladipo Adamolekun writes from Fairfax, Virginia, USA.