Soyinka

[Andrew Clarke Walser]

On Thursdau, 13 March 1997, Henry Musikar wrote:

 Soyinka has likened his situation to Rushdie's. IMHO Soyinka's 
 activism (he suggested to Nigerian's that they not pay their taxes
 when the results Nigeria's election were nullified) is of a different
 ilk. There are many writer's that include politics in their works, but
 most don't take it to the people. Even most "crusading" journalists
 don't urge anything more direct than the possibility of a letter
 writing campaign.

	Yes -- Soyinka has put his life in jeopardy many times since the
Sixties.  The notes he smuggled out of prison during the dictatorship of
Gowon are a testament to his courage and artistry -- but his extraliterary
activities of that period are even more remarkable.  After a rigged
election, he took over a radio station and substituted his own speech for
that of the victorious party; during the Civil War, he worked both in
Nigeria and in Europe to stop the sale of arms to the warring
factions.
	Incidentally, Senator Carol Mosely-Braun -- Illinois's own --
recently shared a friendly dinner with Sani Abacha, the man responsible
for Soyinka's exile and Ken Saro-Wiwa's hanging. 

				Andrew Walser
				University of Illinois-Chicago