The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos chapter on Saturday, July 13 2024, celebrated Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on his 90th birthday by reading his works.
Chairman of ANA Lagos, Ifeanyichukwu Avajah read Soyinka’s poem, ‘Abiku’ while Oyelola Ogunrinde read from Soyinka’s work “The man Died”, Simeon Okoro read from Wole Soyinka ‘s work “Chronicles of the Land of the Happiest People on earth” and Mademakwu Lawrence also read from Soyinka’s work “The Man Died.”
Avajah said the reason why he chose to read Abiku was the impact of Soyinka poem Abiku after it was published.
Ogunrinde, who read The man died said the reason she read the work was because it chronicled Soyinka’s impact during the Nigerian civil war, how he campaigned against brutality of humanity.
Okoro, who read the work Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth said the title surprised him, when he first read it.
After the reading of Soyinka’s works, some members of Lagos ANA also read from their own poems, Ogunrinde read from her poem published in Teambooktu “My talking drum,” Olusanya Anjorin read from his poem, “The bank of Justice” and Lawrence read from his poem on Nigeria’s new national anthem.
Olatunbosun Taofeek read from his work which was recently longlisted for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, NLNG prize 2024, “Children at the IDP Camp.”
He said he was inspired to write the children’s book after his elder brother lost his life in the Nigerian army while fighting on the Nigerian side against Boko Haram.
Taofeek said his nephew committed suicide few days after his father died in the hands of Boko Haram.
Chairman of ANA Lagos, Avajah, later commented, saying that four members of ANA Lagos were longlisted for the NLNG Prize 2024.
The four representatives at the NLNG Nigerian Prize for literature long list of 11, included Olatunbosun Taofeek, Henry Akubuiro, Ndidi Chiazor-Enenmor and Jumoke Verissimo.
