Wole Soyinka: Literature, Activism, and African Transformation

Mighty congratulations to the authors! 276 pages plus the bibliography!

This is a reference work I'd like to possess. Everybody's curious and by the time all of that is properly chewed upon savoured and digested, many there are who will then feel themselves better equipped to commit the kinds of critical, literary sins known to mankind as the biographical heresy - still causing Shakespeare among others to be still rolling over in their graves - in Brer Soyinka's case, it will be, Brer Soyinka wrote, said, did this and did not do that because he was this and that and because he was an Honourable Yoruba man etc.) - that's when the biographical background, black-ground and good home-training and upbringing enters literary criticism (and appreciation).

I'm sure that to some extent Messrs Dauada & Falola must have already committed the heresy – it goes with the territory they are covering in this praiseworthy enterprise. When I get my copy, I intend to start with the last chapter, Chapter 13, curiously entitled “Will Soyinka's Works Outlive Him? “ What a question! Are you serious? What kind of rhetorical question is that, even in the digital age of the non-reading generation?

When Brer Soyinka stopped over in Stockholm on his world tour campaign against Abacha, my friend Demba Conta gave him a copy of his new song “Apartheid Under Arrest”, at which point Brer Soyinka tugged on his grey beard and said, profoundly, “Under arrest indeed!”

As an example of the periodic sentence, try this for size: Wole Soyinka will be read, long after Chinua Achebe is forgotten – but not before!