Steeze Alert: This 2024 edition of Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange, WSICE programme is fired up. Slated to run from July 11 through July 27 with events spanning Lagos, Abeokuta, London, the celebration will be a major map marker in other cities across the continent and in the West.
Lagos and Abeokuta: The main event will run July 11-16 starting with a special edition of the annual Advocacy Session. Collaboratively anchored with the Nigeria Academy of Letters, NAL, the Session designed as a symposium will hold at the University of Lagos on the theme “ENI-OGUN: An Enduring Legacy” and will feature contributions by top-notch resource persons from the academia as well as professionals in various disciplines of the arts.
The Abeokuta leg will also feature the Youth Session, comprising Essay writing competition and Do-Your-Own-Things at the WSICE headquarters in Ijegba (located in the vicinity of Soyinka’s forested Autonomous Republic of Ijegba, A.R.I. residence in Idi Aba Housing Estate), and exhibition at the WSICE Gallery at Omida Market, Abeokuta. There will also be presentations of drama in Lagos including Cash Ayodele’s ENI-OGUN (Man of War) and Soyinka’s all-time classic, The Lion and the Jewel by the Live Theatre Lagos. Other activities include premiere of the film, “The Man Died,” a feature film inspired by Soyinka’s prison memoirs of same title, directed by Awam Amkpa and produced by Zuri24 Media.
In London, the WSICE in partnership with The Africa Centre will present a 10-day (July 19-27) cultural extravaganza that would feature, exhibitions, conferences, film screenings, workshops for students and youths, and live drama, music and poetry performances, climaxing with the premiere of the film “The Man Died,” which will be graced by the Nobel laureate himself, with members of his family, friends and associates from around the world.
“Specifically, the WS90/WSICE2024 theme is “E.N.I.O.G.U.N – Engaging National Interest on Good Governance, Understanding and Nation-Building” — a summation of the over seven decades commitment and struggles of Soyinka as a nationalist, patriot, and humanist — as can be gleaned from his voluptuous creative works and consistent public engagement,” stated Dr. Teju Kareem, the Executive Producer of WSICE.
Dr. Kareem added: “In particular, the theme E.N.I.O.G.U.N is to sum up Soyinka’s life-long commitment to the cause of nation building through his relentless fight for the national interest that would ensure good governance for the wellbeing of the general citizenry. While the theme domiciles appreciation of Soyinka’s commitment to his birth country, Nigeria, it is by extension an appreciation of his global service to humanity in general, which has seen him advocating for justice, freedom and respect for the rights and freedom of citizens all over the world. The theme will be the focus of all the programme items of the edition.”
