Events for the 77th Birthday
and 2011 Wole Soyinka Lecture

Venue:
Auditorium, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, FCT
Date:
3rd August 2011

The purpose of this submission is to inform the general public that the Wole Soyinka lecture series for this year will come up on the 3rd of August, 2011 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

2. This event is the 14th lecture in the series which will also mark the 25th anniversary of Professor Wole Soyinka winning the first African Nobel Prize in literature.

3. The Organizing Committee is planning to give it an international outlook befitting the celebrant, and the annual organizers, the National Association of Seadogs aka Pyrates Confraternity (PC) which was founded by Wole Soyinka and six others popularly referred to as the original seven (see the NAS History link of this website).

4. It would be recalled that the 13th lecture was held at the Shell Hall Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos with the governor of Lagos state as the special guest of honour, while Mallam Nuru Ribadu served as the Guest speaker.

5. The theme for this year’s lecture, which is coming on the heels of his 77th birthday anniversary, is –

Wole Soyinka @77
25 Years of Africa’s First Nobel Prize

Celebrating and Sustaining Excellence in Nigeria

Speaker:

Professor Biodun Jeyifo

Professor of African and African American Studies; Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard.

Topic:

The Thing Caught in Nte’s Trap:
the Mega-Crisis of Education in Our Country and Our Continent

6. It is a well known fact that Nigeria is unduly blessed with abundance of talents in diverse fields that one can think of. Do we want to look in the areas of the sciences, arts, entrepreneurships, sports – you name it – this land has such human resources in an unfair proportion in relation to other lands. When consideration is taken on the geographical location of the country with its stupendous reserves of yet to be determined natural resources, one can do nothing but thank the Almighty for placing us in this territory – with persons like the iconic figure whom we will be celebrate during this event.

7. The challenge we envision at this point in our historical journey as a nation is how to sustain such excellence in Nigeria. Incidentally, we are in no position to make a choice whether to accept this fact or not. The naked reality is that we just have to make progress in a positive way in all fields of endeavour in our national life if we are to face the challenges of globalization. The only way to achieve this therefore is to ensure that things are done the right way. Put differently, we have to recognize, promote, reward and above all – sustain the culture of excellence in our national life. This is unfortunately the hard choice before us and our maker would not forgive us should we shy or shirk our responsibility to this nation in this wise given the abundant potentials we have locked up within and amongst us.

8. The global movements and yearnings by peoples for emancipation from various despots, buccaneers in corridors of power and questionable characters masquerading as leaders is a good pointer to this scenario where the alternative of not striving for excellence in national life is the norm.

9. It is in cognizance of the above that the main theme for this year’s lecture has been chosen. Other sub-themes revolving around finding solutions to often time self inflicted problems bedeviling this potentially great country shall be presented during the lecture proper by carefully selected speakers for the occasion.

10. Consequently, our guest list is expected to cut across the following segment of society such as:-

1. The Government (three tiers);
2. Civil Society;
3. The Diplomatic Community;
4. The Private Sector;
5. The Academia;
6. Distinguished Sports Men, Women and Artists;
7. International Organization/Multilateral Agencies
8. Labour Group;
9. Students Bodies – and
10. The Press.

11. The lecture is planned to include plenary and technical sessions where the visiting dignitaries and guest speakers shall make their presentations respectively. Stage performances of selected plays of the celebrant shall equally be enacted and this will be climaxed with the presentation of ‘Kongi’s Harvest’. Additional special feature for the occasion would be the launching of a book on the life and times of Prof. Soyinka. The Local Organizing Committee is already working on the modalities for this.

12. At the end of the event, a Communiqué on the resolutions reached is expected to be compiled and published for the benefit of the general public. The possibility of forwarding same to the National Assembly for an eventual passage into law would also be considered.

13. Let me finally conclude this piece with the presentation of the members of the Local Organizing Committee of the 2011 14th Wole Soyinka Lecture who have been mandated by the ‘Abuja Chapter President’, Mr. Donald Iyinbor to organize this event as he too was directed by the national president. The Committee members are as follows:-

Obiekwe Isaac A. Chief Emeka Okengwu Ogbuehi Dike Barr. Richmond Iheme Barr. Seun Olokeogun Martin Edet Mfon Dr. Nnamdi Ngonadi Phillip Ekeng Edet Aqua Abass Taiwo Kolawole Oseh Denis Azuonye Assy Adams David-Eroma

– Chairman – Vice Chairman – Member – Member – Member – Member – Member – Member – Member – Member – Member – Member – Comm. Secretary

Obiekwe Isaac A.
Committee Chairman