Professor Wole Soyinka, the Yorùbá first African Nobel Laureate in Literature, is not only celebrated for his literary genius but also revered for his unyielding stance on human rights and justice. His resistance against tyranny reached a peak during the brutal military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha, whose regime ruled Nigeria between 1993 and 1998.

Why Abacha Targeted Soyinka

Soyinka’s history of political activism dates back decades. A fierce critic of autocracy, he openly challenged successive Nigerian governments and dictators. His bold actions—like the 1965 seizure of the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service studio to protest a rigged election—marked him as a fearless voice for truth and justice.
By the mid-1990s, Nigeria had plunged deeper into authoritarian rule under General Sani Abacha. The regime was notorious for suppressing dissent, jailing opposition leaders, and violating human rights. In this climate, Soyinka remained undeterred, aligning himself with the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO)—a pro-democracy group agitating for an end to military rule.
The tipping point came after a series of bombings in Lagos. The government accused NADECO of masterminding the attacks and, by extension, implicated Soyinka. Although no credible evidence was presented, the regime pronounced a death sentence on him in absentia, accusing him of treason. At the same time, Ken Saro-Wiwa, another prominent writer and environmental activist, had just been executed by the same government.
Soyinka's outspokenness and international reputation made him a particular threat to the regime. He described Abacha to the BBC as a man who was “most comfortable when he’s on the murder trail.”

The Great Escape

Realising the grave danger he was in, Soyinka fled Nigeria. He escaped on a motorcycle, using a now-infamous route dubbed the NADECO Route. It was a daring, secretive journey that took him across the border into Benin Republic, and eventually into exile in Europe and the United States.
From abroad, Soyinka continued his resistance. He traveled the world advocating for international sanctions against Abacha’s military regime. He founded Radio Kudirat, named after the slain pro-democracy activist Kudirat Abiola. The station became a powerful voice for resistance and is credited as part of the broader movement that eventually pressured the military to hand over power.

Return and Legacy

Following General Abacha’s death in 1998 and Nigeria’s transition to civilian rule in 1999, Soyinka returned to his homeland. He was received as a hero, hailed not only for his literary achievements but for his courageous fight against tyranny.
Born on July 13, 1934, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Wole Soyinka has authored over 21 books, spanning plays, novels, and poetry. He studied at the University College, Ibadan, and later at the University of Leeds. Throughout his academic career, he taught literature and creative writing at major institutions, including the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Cornell, Yale, Emory, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
In 1986, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first African to do so. His acceptance speech focused on apartheid in South Africa and honoured Nelson Mandela.
Today, Soyinka is revered not just as a writer, but as a symbol of intellectual resistance and principled defiance against oppression. His life embodies the powerful intersection of literature, activism, and national conscience.

Credit: Historical Nigeria Yoruba