Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nigeria’s literary colossus and first African Nobel laureate in Literature, celebrates his 91st birthday today, July 13, 2025. Born in Abeokuta on this day in 1934, Soyinka’s seventy-year career has shaped global theatre, poetry, and political discourse with unparalleled brilliance.
A playwright, poet, novelist, and essayist, Soyinka’s works such as Death and the King’s Horseman, Ake: The Years of Childhood, and The Man Died, continue to resonate across generations. A professor emeritus and mentor at top universities worldwide, he remains deeply committed to speaking truth to power, even enduring imprisonment, exile, and assassination threats during Nigeria’s turbulent past.
At 91, he carries his legacy with dignity, vigor, and unbroken passion for justice and culture. May this milestone year bring him continued strength, health, and moments of peace amidst his tireless pursuits.
