Adopt July 13 As ‘Wole Soyinka Day’

The Alake and Paramount ruler of Egba Land, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, has urged President Bola Tinubu to declare July 13 a national day to celebrate Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, over his contribution to humanity.

Naija News reports that Oba Gbadebo made this call on Tuesday during a press conference to herald events to mark the 90th birthday of the first African Nobel Prize winner in Literature.

The paramount ruler said Soyinka should also be honoured with the second highest national honour of Grand Commander of Order of Niger as Soyinka marks his 90th birthday.

According to the traditional monarch, to further honour Soyinka, he is declaring July 13th ‘Wole Soyinka Day’, which will be celebrated by all sons and daughters of Egba land both at home and in the Diaspora.

The two-day celebration slated for Friday 12th and Saturday 13th of July is themed, ‘Defiance and Creativity: A Celebration of Soyinka’s Artistic Ingenuity and Impact on Nigeria, Africa and The Entire World’.

He said, “It will be appropriate for the Federal Government to adopt July 13 as a national day to celebrate Prof Wole Soyinka, given his contribution to literature and humanity globally.

“It will be good to henceforth adopt his birthday which is July 13 as Wole Soyinka Day. In fact, New Orleans in the United States of America has already adopted a day to celebrate him, so why can’t we do so to honour our own too.

“The Federal Government should also in addition to this confer on Wole Soyinka the second highest national honour of Grand Commander of Order of Niger because his contribution to register our dear nation on global map.”