By: Bamijoko Favour

The Thursday Film Series, University of Ibadan, in collaboration with the Department of English, the University Media Center, and IFRA-Nigeria has on Thursday, 11th of July, 2024, hosted the screening of Kola Tubosun’s documentary on Wole Soyinka, titled ‘Ebrohimie Road; a Museum of Memories’, at Drapers Hall, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.

The screening, part of a montage of events in line to honour Wole Soyinka, was held as a twilight towards detailing “aspects of Wole Soyinka’s life on the campus of the University of Ibadan in the 1960s, and covers his personal experiences during this period in relation to the Nigerian Civil War, his imprisonment for his antiwar activism, his release from his prison, and eventual exile.”

Present at the screening were Professor Wole Soyinka’s wife, Chief (Mrs) Olayide Olufadeke Soyinka, Tunde Kelani, members of staff of the University of Ibadan, as well as students from all over the University.

In a post-screening panel session, Chief (Mrs) Olayide Olufadeke Soyinka, reflecting on the past at Ebrohimie Road, described it as “exciting”.

According to her, “I told them (the children) that their father was a madman. There were other options (to him) but I found Soyinka exciting. In the years he was a Rockefeller scholar in UI, we went all over Nigeria together. We went to Abuja, met Ladi Kwali, went to Idanre among other places. It wasn’t stable, but it was exciting.”

In response to a question about recent criticisms about Wole Soyinka, she said, “If only they knew what he went through, raiding my wardrobe for my clothes so as to help Igbo friends escape the progrom, most of the statements said about him will not be said”.

According to Tunde Kelani, during the filming, he experienced difficulties, but it was an interesting one.

The second screening will hold tomorrow at Wole Soyinka’s former residence at Ebrohimie Road, University of Ibadan.