Wole Soyinka At 90: NCC Engages Secondary School Students on Drama, Reading Competition
About ten private and public secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis have converged on the Wole Soyinka Theater Hall, University of Ibadan to celebrate the literary icon who clocked Ninety years recently.
The Programme jointly organized by the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, Association of Nigerian Authors and the Department of Theater Arts,UI, featured competition, book reading, drama presentation and musicals.
Reading the Excerpts from Professor Wole Soyinka’s book, “Ake the years of childhood”, the students dazed the audience in their reading.
Director General, NCC, Dr John Asein, noted that the programme was put together to celebrate the play wright,Essayist,poet and author on his contribution to the intellectual world.
Dr Asein who described Professor Soyinka as a tall Iroko tree in the literary forest, said his works had played the role of a positive change agent in the society noting that the contributions he made in the fight against piracy were unquantifiable.
In her contribution,the State Coordinator, Nigerian Copyright Commission, Ibadan Office,Mrs Oluropo Oke said the celebration of the literary icon, Professor Soyinka was in continuation of the world book day celebrated in April, in which reading among the younger generation was promoted to appreciate the Nobel Laureate efforts.
Eight schools which participated in the reading competition included Baptist Academy, International School, Ibadan,Yinbol college, Methodist Grammar School, Government College,Ikolaba Grammar School 1 & 2,Emmanuel College High School Junior and Orogun Grammar School.
Adebayo Ewaoluwa from the International School Ibadan,ISI, came first, Jagun Micaiah from Government College, Apata, Ibadan came second while Desmond Akorede from Ikolaba Grammar School 2,came 3rd in the book reading competition.
Highlights of the programme was a drama presentation from one of the works of Professor Soyinka,The Lion and the Jewel by the Bodija International College, reading from the braille by the physically challenged students from Aperin Oniyere Grammar School special, and the presentation of some of the books of Professor Wole Soyinka to the schools that were all present.
