Professor Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian writer, actor, director, activist, and Nobel Prize for Literature laureate (1986), will reach the esteemed age of ninety on July 13, 2024.
To honor this remarkable milestone, Arojah Royal Theatre, the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), and the Korean Cultural Centre will join global celebrations with the 2024 edition of KONGI’s HARVEST.
Kongi’s Harvest, annual event marking Wole Soyinka’s birthday was first hosted when Prof. Wole Soyinka turned 77 in 2011, and incidentally, that even was then hosted by Arojah Royal Theatre, Korean Cultural Centre, and National Institute for Cultural Orientation, under its then Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma. Arojah Royal Theatre has since then hosted several other events ion annual basis to celebrate the literary icon.
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Venue: Korean Cultural Centre, 2nd Floor, Rivers House, Central Business District, Abuja
Chairman: Dr. John Asein, Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission
Theme: Wole Soyinka: The Messenger and His Messages
Event Highlights:
- Theme Talks and Panel Sessions
- Wole Soyinka Themed Performances
- Abuja Premiere of the Documentary Film Ebirohimie Road (The Museum of Memory)
Synopsis of ‘Ebirohimie Road: A Museum of Memory’:
This documentary, produced and directed by Kola Tunbosun, chronicles the significance of a small bungalow on the University of Ibadan campus where Wole Soyinka lived and was later arrested in 1967 for attempting to mediate the Nigerian Civil War. The film delves into Soyinka’s life, his arrest, imprisonment, and subsequent exile, highlighting the intersection of personal and national history. Featuring stories, visuals, and historical records, it reveals how a modest campus residence became a witness to pivotal moments in Nigerian history.
Confirmed Speakers:
I. Keynote Speaker: Prof. AbdulRaheed Na’Allah, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja
II. Barrister Ahmed Maiwada, Writer, Legal Practitioner and Literary Philantropist
III. MS Teresa Ameh, Children Literature Writer and Literary Philantrophist
IV. Mallam Denja Abdullahi, Writer, Former ANA President
V. Dr. Bode Ojoniyi, Director, Centre for Wole Soyinka Studies, University of Abuja.
VI. Sujin Lim, Korean Writer
Confirmed Guests:
Dr. John Asein, DG, Nigeria Copyrights Commission (Co-Host/Chairman)
Lt. Gen. (Amb.) T.Y. Buratai, Former Chief of Army Staff (Special Guest of Honour)
Mr. Charles Odili, DG, SMEDAN
Chief Obi Asika, DG, National Council for Arts & Culture
Hon. Aisha Augie, DG, CBAAC
H. E. Gill Lever, Deputy British High Commissioner
H.E. Joao Soares Marcelo, Deputy Brazilian Ambassador
This press release is issued by Arojah Royal Theatre in collaboration with the Nigerian Copyright Commission and the Korean Cultural Centre.Thanking you in anticipation of your kind response.
Om’Oba Jerry Adesewo
Artistic Director
info@arojahtheatre.com
