Wole Soyinka

Nigerian writer (born 1934)
Person human Q41488
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Wole Soyinka

Summary

Wole Soyinka is a human[1]. His place of birth was Ogun State[2]. He was born on July 13, 1934[3]. He worked as a playwright[4], poet[5], translator[6], novelist[7], and philosopher[8]. He ranks in the top 0.66% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (2,682 views/month, #6,602 of 1,000,298).[9]

Key Facts

  • Born in Ogun State[2], Wole Soyinka…
  • Wole Soyinka was born on July 13, 1934[3].
  • Wole Soyinka's mother was Grace Eniola Soyinka[10].
  • Among Wole Soyinka's spouses was Folake Doherty Soyinka[11].
  • A child of Wole Soyinka was Olaokun Soyinka[12].
  • Wole Soyinka held citizenship in Nigeria[13].
  • Yoruba was Wole Soyinka's native language[14].
  • Wole Soyinka is identified as part of the Yoruba people ethnic group[15].
  • Wole Soyinka worked as a playwright[4].
  • Wole Soyinka's professions included poet[5].
  • Wole Soyinka worked as a translator[6].
  • Wole Soyinka's professions included novelist[7].
  • Wole Soyinka worked as a philosopher[8].
  • Wole Soyinka's professions included essayist[16].
  • Wole Soyinka's field of work was performing arts[17].
  • Wole Soyinka held the position of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador[18].
  • Among Wole Soyinka's employers was Harvard University[19].
  • Among Wole Soyinka's employers was University of Lagos[20].
  • Wole Soyinka was employed by Cornell University[21].
  • Wole Soyinka was employed by Yale University[22].
  • Wole Soyinka was employed by University of Nevada, Las Vegas[23].
  • Wole Soyinka was employed by Emory University[24].
  • Wole Soyinka was educated at University of Leeds[25].
  • Wole Soyinka's education included a stint at University of Ibadan[26].
  • Wole Soyinka's education included a stint at University of London[27].

Product Details

The following facts are restated verbatim from public-domain and CC0 open-data sources — every line is independently verifiable against the named source's catalog.

MusicBrainz — CC0 open music encyclopedia

  • Type: Person[28]

  • Country: NG[29]

  • MusicBrainz ID: 4ddc5433-5baf-4183-99cb-48ea72173e2f[30]

Body

Origins and Family

Wole Soyinka was born in Ogun State[2]. He was born on July 13, 1934[3]. His mother was Grace Eniola Soyinka[10]. He is identified as part of the Yoruba people ethnic group[15]. Yoruba was his native language[14].

Education

Educated at University of Leeds[25], a public research university[31], in United Kingdom[32], founded in 1904[33], headquartered in Leeds[34]; University of Ibadan[26], a public university[35], in Nigeria[36], founded in 1948[37], headquartered in Ibadan[38]; University of London[27], a university[39], in United Kingdom[40], founded in 1836[41], headquartered in London[42]; and Abeokuta Grammar School[43], a school[44], in Nigeria[45], founded in 1908[46].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include playwright[4], poet[5], translator[6], novelist[7], philosopher[8], and essayist[16]. Wole Soyinka's field of work was performing arts[17]. Employers include Harvard University[19], a private university[47], in United States[48], founded in 1636[49], headquartered in Cambridge[50]; University of Lagos[20], a university[51], in Nigeria[52], founded in 1962[53]; Cornell University[21], a private university[54], in United States[55], founded in 1865[56], headquartered in Ithaca[57]; Yale University[22], a private university[58], in United States[59], founded in 1701[60], headquartered in New Haven[61]; University of Nevada, Las Vegas[23], a public research university[62], in United States[63], founded in 1957[64], headquartered in Las Vegas[65]; and Emory University[24], a private university[66], in United States[67], founded in 1836[68], headquartered in Atlanta[69]. He held the position of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador[18].

Works and Contributions

Notable works include Season of Anomy[70], The Interpreters[71], Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth[72], Harmattan Haze on an African Spring[73], and The Lion and the Jewel[74]. Things named for Wole Soyinka include Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa[75], an award[76], in Nigeria[77], founded in 2005[78].

Recognition

Awards received include Nobel Prize in Literature[79], a literary award[80], in Sweden[81], founded in 1901[82]; Nigerian National Order of Merit Award[83], an award[84], in Nigeria[85], founded in 1979[86]; Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards[87]; Benson Medal[88]; honorary doctor of Harvard University[89]; and Weilheim Literature Prize[90].

Personal Life

Wole Soyinka was married to Folake Doherty Soyinka[11]. A child of him was Olaokun Soyinka[12].

Why It Matters

Wole Soyinka ranks in the top 0.66% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (2,682 views/month, #6,602 of 1,000,298).[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 29 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[91] He is known by 36 alternative names across languages and contexts.[92]

Works attributed to him include Death and the King's Horseman[93], a literary work[94]; The Interpreters[95], a literary work[96], founded in 1965[97]; and Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth[98], a literary work[99]. Entities named for him include Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa[75], an award[76], in Nigeria[77], founded in 2005[78].

FAQs

Where was Wole Soyinka born?

Wole Soyinka's place of birth was Ogun State[2].

Who were Wole Soyinka's parents?

Wole Soyinka's mother was Grace Eniola Soyinka[10].

Who was Wole Soyinka married to?

Wole Soyinka's spouses include Folake Doherty Soyinka[11].

What did Wole Soyinka do for work?

Wole Soyinka worked as playwright[4], poet[5], translator[6], novelist[7], and philosopher[8].

Where did Wole Soyinka go to school?

Wole Soyinka was educated at University of Leeds[25], University of Ibadan[26], University of London[27], and Abeokuta Grammar School[43].

What awards did Wole Soyinka receive?

Honors received include Nobel Prize in Literature[79], Nigerian National Order of Merit Award[83], Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards[87], and Benson Medal[88].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978). Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [10] . bl.uk. Retrieved . bl.uk. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  3. [11] . wikidata.org.
  4. [13] . wikidata.org.
  5. [18] . wikidata.org.
  6. [12] . wikidata.org.
  7. [25] . wikidata.org.
  8. [26] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  9. [27] . wikidata.org.
  10. [43] . wikidata.org.
  11. [17] . wikidata.org.
  12. [14] . wikidata.org.
  13. [4] . wikidata.org.
  14. [5] . wikidata.org.
  15. [6] . wikidata.org.
  16. [7] . lenouveleconomiste.fr. lenouveleconomiste.fr. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  17. [8] . wikidata.org.
  18. [16] . wikidata.org.
  19. [19] . wikidata.org.
  20. [20] . wikidata.org.
  21. [21] . wikidata.org.
  22. [22] . wikidata.org.
  23. [23] . wikidata.org.
  24. [24] . wikidata.org.
  25. [79] . nobelprize.org. nobelprize.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  26. [83] . wikidata.org.
  27. [87] . anisfield-wolf.org. anisfield-wolf.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  28. [88] . wikidata.org.
  29. [89] . wikidata.org.
  30. [90] . wikidata.org.
  31. [15] . fr.reingex.com. fr.reingex.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  32. [3] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  33. [70] . wikidata.org.
  34. [71] . wikidata.org.
  35. [72] . wikidata.org.
  36. [73] . wikidata.org.
  37. [74] . wikidata.org.

Product details (FDA / USDA / NHTSA public-domain catalog data)

  1. [28] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.
  2. [29] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.
  3. [30] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [93] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [95] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [98] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [75] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  10. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [48] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [50] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [52] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [55] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [58] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [59] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [60] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [61] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [62] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [63] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [64] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [65] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [66] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [67] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [68] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  38. [69] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  39. [80] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  40. [81] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  41. [82] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  42. [84] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  43. [85] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  44. [86] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  45. [94] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  46. [96] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  47. [97] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  48. [99] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  49. [76] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  50. [77] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  51. [78] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [9] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [91] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [92] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Wole Soyinka. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/wole-soyinka
MLA “Wole Soyinka.” 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph, 4ort.xyz, 10 Apr. 2026, https://4ort.xyz/entity/wole-soyinka.
BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_wole-soyinka_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Wole Soyinka}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/wole-soyinka}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-10}}
LLM prompt According to 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph (aggregator of Wikidata, Wikipedia, and authoritative open-data sources): Wole Soyinka — https://4ort.xyz/entity/wole-soyinka (retrieved 2026-04-10)

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  1. 18d ago · Printstream · 2026-05-15 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    P14437 wole-soyinka
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P14437]]: wole-soyinka, #quickstatements; #temporary_batch_1778835565450"
  2. 28d ago · MarisDreshmanisBot bot · 2026-05-06 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Image last checked license
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    + 1 other property edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbeditentity-update-languages:0||91 */ Add multilingual descriptions (91 languages) — Task 12 (Nobel laureates) — deterministic from P106 (occupation) + P27 (citizenship) labels, no machine transla"
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