Wole Soyinka

Wole Soyinka

Wole Soyinka, born Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka on July 13, 1934, in Abeokuta, Nigeria, is a celebrated playwright, poet, and political activist. He made history as the first African laureate to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, recognized for his profound contributions to literature and his unwavering commitment to human rights. Soyinka’s literary career spans several genres, including drama, poetry, and essays, with notable works such as Death and the King’s Horseman and A Dance of the Forests.

In addition to his plays and poetry, Soyinka has authored two novels: The Interpreters (1965) and Season of Anomy (1973). His most recent work, Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth (2021), is a political satire that critiques corruption in an imaginary Nigeria through the story of a surgeon uncovering a black-market scheme involving human body parts. This novel marks his return to fiction after nearly five decades.

Soyinka is also known for his memoir You Must Set Forth at Dawn (2006), which reflects on his life experiences, political activism, and the impact of Nigerian history on his personal journey. A prominent voice against oppression and injustice, he continues to inspire readers and activists worldwide with his powerful writings and advocacy for democracy.

  • Drama, Poetry, Novels, Essays, and Memoirs
  • Nigeria
  • 1934
  • Male
  • 2
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  • You Must Set Forth at DawnQuick View
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    By : Wole Soyinka

    You Must Set Forth at Dawn

    What if your fight for freedom transformed you from a man into a myth? Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka’s gripping memoir traces his decades-long battle against Nigeria’s military dictators—a journey of exile, clandestine resistance, and smuggled wildcats—where every homecoming risks collapse under the weight of a nation’s hopes. But when tyranny’s shadow clings to those you love, can a symbol survive as a human… or will the dawn demand more than flesh can bear?

    • Originally Published: 2006
    • Publisher: Penguin Random House, 2007
    • Genre: Memoir
    • Pages: 528
    • Book Type: Hardcopy
    • ISBN: 978-0375755149
    • Access: Members
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    Chronicles From the Land of the Happiest People on EarthQuick View
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    By : Wole Soyinka

    Chronicles From the Land of the Happiest People on Earth

    What if the “happiest” nation on Earth harbored a secret so dark it could devour its soul? Dr. Kighare Menka, a surgeon haunted by the mutilated bodies of his patients, stumbles upon a grisly conspiracy trading in human flesh—a scheme entwined with the country’s most revered leaders. When his closest friend becomes the next target, Menka must unravel the lies before his own name joins the missing… but in a world where power wears a saint’s mask, can truth survive—or will it be buried with the bones?

    • Originally Published: 2021
    • Publisher: Vintage, 2022
    • Genre: Fiction
    • Pages: 464
    • Book Type: Hardcopy
    • ISBN: 9780593314470
    • Access: Members