It is rare for nature to fashion in mortals, a combination of literary genius and combat bravery. We saw that in Christopher Okigbo – an outstanding postcolonial English-language African poet who died fighting for the independence of Biafra – and in Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who just turned 89. In this review of TheNEWS interview with Soyinka on the occasion of his 80th birthday in 2014, OSA AMADI, Arts Editor of Vanguard, highlights the combat bravery aspect of Soyinka’s life as captured in the interview: Of guns, snakes and  college fraternity.

‘I am ready to play my part as much as I can. Let me tell you, I am even a victim more than anyone of them in government now’

I know I can lead this team and I know I can make Nigeria proud. There are a lot of talents back home and I want to do this not just for the players but for the coaches too.

“In fact, in so many instances the legislators have not demonstrated enough in-depth knowledge of some of the things going”

‘After saying, listen up, I’m African, I’m black. And then heard the words, how dark? It was quite a shock. And my response was exactly as I said it in that poem’