The Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, has joined other eminent Nigerians and the global community to congratulate the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on the milestone of his 90th birthday anniversary.
The Yoruba generalissimo said the literary icon will continue to be a blessing to Yoruba race, Nigeria and the world.
Congratulating Soyinka in a statement he signed personally, Iba Adams described the Nobel Laureate as an Iroko tree that is so blessed by God and has always offered shelter and succour to several other people from across the world.
He said: “He was the rallying point of pro-democracy activist. During the struggle for democracy, he used his influence to connect NADECO and all the pro-democracy organizations to the international communities.
“The breakthrough we had through the pro-democracy activities came through Prof. Wole Soyinka’s link and influence.
“He is well known as the Kongi. His signature in the world is a pointer to his global reference. The literary icon exemplifies not just a mastery of literary forms, but also a profound exploration of African identity and culture.
“Prof. Soyinka is one of the few prominent personalities that truly believe in the African culture and Yoruba cultural identity. Through his works, he courageously confronts societal ills, sparking critical introspection and dialogue on pressing issues.
“He is a blessing to Yoruba race and I believe strongly that his legacies will continue to outlive him and that of the next generations because his words will continue to resonate across borders and generations.
“No matter what you say about Prof. Soyinka, one thing you cannot take away from this literary giant is that he is the pride of our race. As a renowned intellectual giant, he stands as a beacon in the literary world, with his groundbreaking contributions that had earned him the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.
“Soyinka’s illustrious career is adorned with a remarkable body of work that transcends mere words on pages; each piece resonates with profound insights and thought-provoking perspectives.
“As the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, I am happy that such an Iroko tree is still around with us and at 90, I pray God to bless Prof. with more years with good health for him to continue to be such a blessing to humanity.
“I remembered when I was arrested unjustly, Prof Soyinka stood by me and he did what was expected of a father. He is such a beacon of hope to us and his long years of service to humanity is something we all crave for.
“When I was detained for 14 months, Soyinka’s statement against my detention was one of the reasons that fast-tracked my release from detention. And shortly thereafter, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi also did a statement.
“All these gave birth to my release from detention. Soyinka will always stand by the oppressed people in Nigeria. He has been in the struggle for the emancipation of the oppressed since 1966. The fact still remains that Prof. Soyinka didn’t belong to any political party, but he always stands on the path of justice and fairness.
“To tell you how close Prof. Soyinka is to the struggle of the OPC, he was made the Patron of OPC in 2005.
“Engineer Bayo Banjo named him the Patron of OPC without his consultation. And for who he is, Prof. does not agree with you on anything within 48 hours, he will issue a statement to object it. But in our own case, the Nobel Laureate agreed to be our patron and he continued to stand by us in the course of our struggle.
“So for us – both the office of the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland and the OPC, we congratulate Prof. Wole Soyinka on his 90th birthday anniversary.
“Prof. Soyinka cherishes democracy. He believes in good governance. He is the father of all pro-democracy struggles between 1979 till date.
“He is an opinion-moulder that raises his voice against injustice, irrespective of the person involved and the ethnic nationalities.
“Soyinka’s voice transcends Nigeria. He registers his opinion in support of justice and against injustice to humanity at the global milieu. We pray that God should continue to bless him with more strength and energy for him to continue his service to humanity.”
