Declare July 13 Wole Soyinka Day, Ogun Monarch Urges FG

The Alake of Egba Land, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has urged President Bola Tinubu to declare July 13 as a national day dedicated to celebrating the contributions of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, to humanity both nationally and globally.

Oba Gbadebo also called on the Federal Government to honor Soyinka with the second highest national honor, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, as the Nobel laureate marks his 90th birthday.

The traditional ruler announced that Egba Land has already decided to celebrate July 13, Soyinka’s birthday, as Wole Soyinka Day to promote his ideals and scholarly excellence for future generations.

Highlighting Soyinka’s achievements as the first African Nobel Prize winner in Literature and an internationally acclaimed playwright, Oba Gbadebo emphasized the importance of honoring him in his home country.

Oba Gbadebo made this call at a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to announce a series of events celebrating Soyinka’s 90th birthday. He described Soyinka as a global icon, a living legend, a playwright, actor, human rights and political activist, a hunter, and a respected elder statesman with roots in Ake, Abeokuta.

The monarch explained that Egba Land is celebrating the honor and recognition Soyinka has brought to Ogun State. The theme for the 90th birthday celebration, “Defiance and Creativity: A Celebration of Soyinka’s Artistic Ingenuity and Impact on Nigeria, Africa, and The Entire World,” reflects Soyinka’s influence.

“It is appropriate for the Federal Government to adopt July 13 as a national day to celebrate Prof. Wole Soyinka, given his global contributions to literature and humanity,” Oba Gbadebo said. “New Orleans in the United States has already adopted a day to celebrate him, so why can’t we do the same?”

He added, “The Federal Government should also confer on Wole Soyinka the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger for putting Nigeria on the global map.”

Paul Bankole, the convener of Soyinka’s 90th birthday celebration, emphasized the importance of recognizing Soyinka’s contributions both academically and to humanity while he is alive. “We must not wait until they are gone before we begin to pour accolades on them,” Bankole said. “Let them understand that we value them and acknowledge their unique contributions towards a better world.”