Soyinka at 90: WSICE announces 90 finalists for essay competition

Organisers of Soyinka at 90 Birthday Essay Competition, ‘The Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange (WSICE), have announced the 90 finalists for the 2024 essay competition for senior secondary school students.

The essay competition is one of the many activities to celebrate Mr Soyinka, who turns 90 on 13 July.

Over the past 15 years, the competition has received over 10,000 entries from students aged 12-17.

This year, the students wrote on the theme “The Many Lives of an Irrepressible Patriot, Humanist & Rights Activist.”

A press statement released by WSICE on Monday said 90 finalists were chosen for their exceptional writing skills, creativity, and insightful perspectives.

Teju Kareem, the executive producer of WSICE, also announced that this year’s scholarship prizes and gifts will exceed N10 million.

Giving details of how the 90 finalists were chosen, WSICE, in its statement, noted that the students were evaluated by a panel of judges based on originality, coherence, depth of analysis, and relevance to the theme.

While all 90 finalists have distinguished themselves, the judges will still determine the top three entries to recognise the most outstanding contributions.

Other activities

Meanwhile, Mr Soyinka’s 90th birthday will be marked with a series of events, which will take place from 13 to 16 July in Nigeria and 19 to 27 July in London.

An advocacy session will be held in collaboration with the Nigeria Academy of Letters (NAL) on 11 July at the University of Lagos.

Also on 13 July at the ‘June 12 Cultural Centre’ in Abeokuta, a theatrical presentation titled “The Noble Warrior – Eni Ogun,” written by Aiyeko-ooto Onadele and produced by Adubiifa Network Company in collaboration with WSICE, will be showcased.

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The play explores themes of bravery and struggle, resonating with Mr Soyinka’s legacy. Additionally, from 12-14 July and 19-21 July, Live Theatre Lagos will stage Soyinka’s classic play “The Lion and the Jewel” at various venues in Lagos.

Mr Soyinka, born 13 July 1934, is a renowned Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist. In 1986, he became the first sub-Saharan African awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.