Wole Soyinka, Gulder Larger Beer, and quest to return as a Monk, by Bamidele Johnson

Late in June 2004, a team from The News starring Kunle Ajibade, our boss and a Soyinka devotee; co-starring myself, Adegbamigbe Ademola and Idowu Ogunleye met Professor Soyinka for a 70th birthday interview.
The session took place at the Victoria Island home of Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi. Pleasantries were quickly swapped and we were asked what drink we wanted just as we sat.

Unusually restrained, I asked for water. Other members of the team, far more tranquil people than I am, did the same. Prof asked for a bottle of Gulder. Just as the bottle was placed on the stool beside him, Ogunleye, our photo editor, whipped out his camera to take shots of Prof largering up. Our boss told him not to do it. His full head of hair shaking to announce his disagreement with the instruction, Prof intervened, saying what he was about to consume was no narcotic and Ogunleye should go ahead. We all laughed.

Ogunleye began snapping furiously, capturing every detail from when beer was opened, to the landing of its golden bubbles in the glass and when Prof sipped. My friend, Harry Iwuala, would never have sipped. Swilling is the plebeian’s way of drinking larger. Apologies for the digression. Let’s move.

Questions started being asked. Mr. Ajibade, a devout follower of Prof’s, I think, took care of most literature-related questions. Adegbamigbe also weighed in with a few. I’m illiterate in such matters, so I left the field to them. We were all at home when it was time to ask about activism and political interventions. Just as we were winding down, it occurred to me ask one more question. “Would you, if you could, return to this life as a writer?” I asked.

An immediate and rigorous shake of the head was the non-verbal response. It was followed by a pause for a few seconds. The life of a writer, he said, is too turmoil-filled and he’d prefer a more sedate existence if offered another life. “Like what would you want?” I probed. “A monk,” he replied. “Sir, remember that there are no women in monasteries,” I told him.
“No. No. No. I take that back,” he said to really raucous laughter from everyone.
Happy birthday, Prof.