11th July, 2024
By Nehru Odeh
Former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has opened up on a priceless favour Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka did for him in 2007 and ended up creating a controversy among his pastor friends.
Osinbajo made this revelation while delivering a speech entitled “Soyinka; The Imperative of a Public Conscience” at the Soyinka International Symposium organized by the Nigerian Academy of Letters in honour of Soyinka who turns 90 on 13 July, 2024.
The symposium, with the theme, “Eni Ogun: An Enduring Legacy”, was held on Thursday, 11 July, 2024 at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos.
Prof. Niyi Osundare, poet, playwright and emeritus professor at the University of New Orleans, United States, delivered the keynote address.
While delivering his speech, Osinbajo went down memory lane as he narrated how Soyinka accepted his invitation to attend the launch of The Orderly Society Trust which he and his wife Dolapo formed in 2007 when he was 50, even though he (Soyinka) hadn’t known him at the time.
According to Osinbajo, not only did Soyinka attend the event and deliver a speech, he also created a controversy among his pastor friends when he suggested that there might not be heaven.
“Soyinka interfered and still interferes with every body’s space. So one must not be shy to interfere with his. I am also grateful for this opportunity because it gives me a chance to repay or return a priceless favour.
“In 2007, I turned 50. My wife and I decided to launch the Orderly Society Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to a sane and organuzed society. My own preferred person to speak to just about 50 guests was no other than Professor Wole Soyinka. He could be anywhere in the world. And anyway, why should he bother to attend an event in honour of someone who he barely knows?
“I called Makin, his son, my friend, and asked him if he would make the request on my behalf. He did. Prof. was travelling and he wasn’t sure he would make it to Lagos let alone to attend the event.
“But the unbelievable happened. Prof. came and attended the event, spent the whole time there and even created a controversy among my many pastor friends, when he suggested that there might not even be heaven,” Osinbajo said, and the hall roared with laughter.
Guests at the event included former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Dr Bisi Fayemi; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola; former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Duro Oni; President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Prof. Sola Akinrinade; and the Secretary, Nigerian Academy of Letters, Prof. Olakunbi Olasope.
