By Osa Mbonu-Amadi, Arts Editor 

A snippet review of Professor Wole Soyinka’s play, “The Road” was given Thursday, 11th July 2024, by Razinat T. Mohammed of the Department of English, University of Abuja, in the course of presenting a paper titled THE MAN WOLE SOYINKA: A DEIFICATION, during the Wole Soyinka @ 90 International Symposium held at J. F. Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos.

Mohammed said Soyinka’s play, The Road, published since 1965 continues to be relevant because, aside from capturing Soyinka’s affinity to Ogun, the play captures the omnipresence of corruption that this country has unfortunately perfected today.

According to the lecturer, “The play is a conglomeration of ugliness of character as it is of complex symbolism about life and death.

“In the play, Professor is a fanatical devotee of Ogun, the god of Iron and the primordial Yoruba god of war, and through his treacherous dealings; he directly or indirectly causes accidents to prove that his steely god is master of the road. So, whether it is through physical wars or road accidents, the god of iron becomes a contraption for death.”

The lecturer explained what it means when literary critics describe Soyinka as the assistant of Ogun: “Consequently, when some literary critics refer to Soyinka as the acolyte of Ogun, they are not only referring to his love of iron ore art collection, but rather to the composite strength that he gives to the Ogun deity in his works.”

“And as complex as many of his works are,” Mohammed concluded, “the reader is often caught between the gaping jaws of tragedy and the muted laughable comedy all of which are satires driving towards building a better nation.”

The event was attended by very important personalities including former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Dr Bisi Fayemi; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola; former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Duro Oni; President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Prof. Sola Akinrinade; and the Secretary, Nigerian Academy of Letters, Prof. Olakunbi Olasope.

The theme of the symposium was “Eni Ogun: An Enduring Legacy”. Emeritus Professor at the University of Orleans, Prof Niyi Osundare, delivered the keynote address. 

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