The Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has congratulated Professor Wole Soyinka on his 90th birthday anniversary, describing him as a global icon and a Nigerian patriot of the highest standard.
The Governor, fond of Soyinka’s multiple literary works, said the playwright winning the 1986 Nobel Prize as the first Black man from Africa was a testament to his explosive creative ability and a validation of his bonafides as a prodigy of erudition.
Apart from Soyinka’s stellar and seminal contributions to all genres of Literature, Governor Aiyedatiwa also commended the restless bard for his several interventions as a political activist who has been speaking truth to power for over six decades of his adult life.
Governor Aiyedatiwa noted Soyinka’s worthy contributions to the June 12 struggle and Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, saying the sacrifices he made have left giant footprints in the sands of time.
Governor Aiyedatiwa said although Soyinka is a citizen of the world, Africa and, indeed, Nigeria is proud of him and his achievements and will forever be grateful to him for bringing glory and honour to the country and the continent at large.
The governor wished the author of the Trial of Brother Jero, You Must Set Forth at Dawn, The Man Died, The Interpreter, A Dance of the Forests, Death and the King’s Horseman, among others, many more feathers to his already well-garlanded cap as he begins a new phase in the tribe of nonagenarians.
Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan,
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State.
July 13, 2024.