Published: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 3:51 PM
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka captivated the audience at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) with an amusing anecdote about pretending to be Morgan Freeman. Speaking to a room full of children, Soyinka recounted how a family mistook him for the famous Hollywood actor during a plane ride. Rather than disappointing the children, Soyinka decided to play along and even forged Morgan Freeman’s signature. The students were thoroughly entertained and responded with laughter and applause.
During a special morning session at the Intellectual Hall, Soyinka, a Nigerian playwright and novelist, also shared that he frequently gets mistaken for Morgan Freeman and even takes to wearing a hat at the airport. He jokingly remarked, “This guy is so famous that he has made life difficult for me. Once while I was in Kazakhstan for a holiday, I was followed. I also get mistaken for Kofi Annan occasionally.”
In addition to his entertaining stories, Soyinka offered advice to aspiring writers. He advised the students to be prepared for rejection and to view rejection slips as battle scars that fuel determination. Soyinka himself celebrated when he got his first book published and emphasized the importance of perseverance.
Soyinka’s impressive body of work, which includes plays, novels, poems, and stories, earned him the Nobel Prize in 1986. He has also received accolades such as the International Humanist Award, an honorary degree from Cambridge University, and a special prize at the Europe Theater Prize.
When asked about social media, Soyinka expressed his reluctance to use it despite recognizing its potential as a great platform. He lamented how it has become debased and taken over by “barbarians,” causing serious writers to distance themselves from it. Soyinka, who currently teaches at New York University, Abu Dhabi, has also taught at prestigious institutions such as Cambridge, Harvard, Oxford, and Yale.
In conclusion, Soyinka encouraged students to continue writing, send their work to journals and magazines, and explore various mediums to effectively communicate their experiences. After the event, Soyinka graciously posed for photos and signed autographs for students, leaving a lasting impression on the young minds.
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By Nasreen Abdulla
I have over 10 years of experience in the field of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. I have attended numerous conferences and events around the world, and my work has been featured in major publications such as CoinDesk, Bitcoin Magazine, and Yahoo Finance.
