Wole Soyinka Turns 91: A Literary Icon of Prose, Power, and Activism.

Wole Soyinka Turns 91: A Literary Icon of Prose, Power, and Activism.

Celebrity Writers & Literary Icons

The news as it trends. See the video below. 

He needs no reintroduction to any society—his work speaks louder than titles ever could.

Wole Soyinka remains the enigma of literature, prose, and activism.

Today, the Babaluaye of literature himself marks 91 impactful years.

Born July 13, 1934, in Abeokuta, Nigeria, Soyinka became the first Black African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.

His groundbreaking works — like Death and the King’s Horseman and The Lion and the Jewel — fuse Yoruba tradition with Western narrative forms, challenging colonialism, tyranny, and injustice.

Imprisoned during Nigeria’s civil war, Soyinka wielded poetry and prose as tools of resistance.

His legacy now spans continents.

In Los Angeles, he’s revered not only for his art but also for his bold advocacy for human rights.

His presence at LA literary festivals and academic institutions signals his continued cultural relevance, sagacity, and intellect.

Today, Soyinka is a father of eight children from three marriages:

First wife: Barbara Dixon, British writer

Second wife: Olaide Idowu, Nigerian librarian

Current wife: Folake Doherty Soyinka, married in 1989

He has lived in Nigeria, Europe, and the United States.

Currently, he resides in his hometown of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, where his roots continue to nourish his legacy.

From this blog: Dear Professor, we say: Happy Birthday, Babaluaye of Iwe himself! May your pen never run dry.

Yetunde B reports for Yeyetunde’s Blog.

Footage / Image/ Wole Soyinka /Instagram. 

Wole Soyinka Turns 91: A Literary Icon of Prose, Power, and Activism. pic.twitter.com/YT55O1uGlh

— Yeyetunde’s Blog (@YeyetundeB) July 13, 2025