Playwright, poet, and novelist. Wole Soyinka (pronounced "Woh-leh Shaw-yin-ka"), given name, Akinwande Oluwole was born in Isara, Nigeria, 1934. Soyinka attended the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and the University of Leeds, England (B.A. with honors, 1959). Soyinka was research fellow in drama (1960-1961), and chairman of department of theater arts (1967-1971) at the University of Ibadan; professor of drama (1972) at the University of Ife; chairman of the department of dramatic arts (1975-1985) at Cambridge University; visiting professor at the University of Sheffield, England (1974), University of Ghana (1975), Cornell University (1986), and Yale University (1979-1980). Soyinka was Goldwin Smith professor for African Studies and Theatre Arts, Cornell University (1988).
Soyinka's memberships include the International Theatre Institute (president), Union of Writers of the African Peoples (secretary-general), and African Academy of Sciences. His awards and honors include Rockefeller Foundation grant (1960); John Whiting Drama Prize (1966); Dakar Negro Arts Festival award (1966); New Statesman Jock Campbell Award, New Statesman for "The interpreters" (1968); Nobel Prize in Literature (1986); Leopold Sedan Senghor Award (1986); Commander of the French Legion of Honor (1989); Commander of Order of the Italian Republic (1990); Prisoner of Conscience Prize, Amnesty International.