HOW WOLE SOYINKA BETRAYED AFRICAN WRITERS

By Ndagi Abdullahi Amana Nupe

In the annals of African literature, a significant chapter was written when a collective decision was made by African writers to boycott the Nobel Prize in Literature. This bold move was a direct response to the perceived racial bias and discrimination that had long plagued the international literary establishment, particularly the Royal Academy, which was responsible for selecting the Nobel laureates. The African literary community, led by luminaries such as Ngugi wa Thiong’O, Chinua Achebe, and others, stood united in their conviction that the Western literary establishment had systematically denied recognition to deserving African writers, perpetuating a colonial legacy of cultural hegemony.The boycott, which gained momentum in the 1980s, was a powerful statement of solidarity and resistance against the perceived injustices of the Nobel Prize selection process. African writers, who had long been marginalized and underrepresented in the global literary canon, saw the boycott as an opportunity to challenge the status quo and demand a more inclusive and equitable system of recognition.However, the unity and resolve of the African literary community were shaken when Wole Soyinka, a renowned Nigerian writer, chose to accept the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. Soyinka’s decision was seen by many as a betrayal of the collective cause, a selfish act that undermined the hard-fought efforts of his fellow African writers to challenge the racism and bias of the Western literary establishment.The pain and disappointment felt by the African literary community were palpable. They had collectively agreed to boycott the Nobel Prize that very year, only to witness Soyinka alone at the event, accepting the award that they had unanimously decided to reject. The other African writers, who had made significant personal and collective sacrifices in protest of Western literary racism, were left feeling betrayed and disillusioned.The impact of Soyinka’s decision was far-reaching, both for himself and for the African literary community as a whole. In the eyes of many of his fellow writers, Soyinka had irreparably damaged his reputation and standing within the African literary establishment. He was seen as a pariah, a writer who had prioritized his own personal gain over the collective struggle for recognition and justice.Moreover, Soyinka’s acceptance of the Nobel Prize was viewed as a setback for the progress of African literature on the international stage. The African literary community had made significant strides in challenging the Western literary establishment and asserting their own unique voices and perspectives. Soyinka’s betrayal was seen as a blow to these efforts, a step backward in the fight for cultural self-determination and literary autonomy.In the aftermath of the boycott and Soyinka’s controversial decision, the African literary community was left to grapple with the complex legacy of the Nobel Prize and its relationship to the ongoing struggle for racial justice and cultural representation. The debate continues to this day, with writers and scholars engaging in critical discussions about the role of literary prizes in shaping the global literary canon and the responsibility of writers to their communities and their causes.

© Ndagi Abdullahi Amana Nupe (0813 798 2743)