Ropo Sekoni, Odia Ofeimun, Dan Izevbaye, Abiola Irele, to Speak at Wole Soyinka 80th Birthday Lecture

  The best of Nigeria’s communication scholars including Professor of French, Abiola Irele, Professor Ropo Sekoni, Odia Ofeimun and Professor Dan Izevbaye, will on July 13 speak at the 6th Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture Series. Also joining the scholars at this year’s event with the theme ‘Wole Soyinka and the Moral Burden of Literature’, are other leading scholars, representatives of civil societies, leaders of industries, and students. The lecture, which is held in commemoration of the 80th birthday of the Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, will take place at the Bolaji Akinyemi Hall of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Victoria Island, Lagos. “The theme is apt in view of current realities in Nigeria. The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) hopes to bring attention to the many ways literature mirrors and impacts on the society while chronicling and drawing lessons from the life and works of Professor Wole Soyinka, the sage who turns 80 on the day,” the coordinator, WSCIJ, Motunrayo Alaka, said in a statement. “The Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture Series, is designed to periodically examine varying topical issues that have a reverberating effect on the perceived performance of the media on the health of our country, Nigeria, and its democracy and has since 2009 held on July 13, Professor Wole Soyinka’s Birthday, to honour this illustrious Nigerian while also drawing attention to critical national issues,” Ms. Alaka added. Admittance to the event is open to members of the public.