Vice-President Mahama lauds Soyinka's literary achievements

Accra, April 3, GNA - Vice-President John Dramani Mahama has paid glowing tribute to the literary achievement of noble laureate Professor W= ole Soyinka, saying his boldness to tell the truth even in the face of difficulties made him outstanding among his peers.

"What makes Wole Soyinka unique among colleagues is his courage and boldness to say it as it is," the Vice President said. He made these observations at a programme dubbed 'An evening with Wo= le Soyinka', organised by Glo Mobile Ghana as part of programmes scheduled t= o herald the launch of Globacom operations in the country. Vice President Mahama commended Glo for organising the literary even= t that brought together all the great minds in the field of literature and the arts and expressed the hope that the event would mark a turning point in reviving interest in literature.

The event is to celebrate excellence and honour great African litera= ry minds whose dedication to the African continent through their works expos= ed the culture and the everyday life of the people. Prof. Soyinka one of the world's leading intellectuals in the field of arts and literature and renowned Ghanaian authors and writers, who includ= ed Prof. Kofi Awoonor, Prof. Atukwei Okai, Nana Ayebia Clark were the attraction of the audience.

Other distinguished personalities at the programme that was characterised by music and dancing included former President John Agyekum=

Kufuor, members of Parliament and the Diplomatic corps. Prof. Wole Soyinka said arts was an instrument for combating the ill= s in society and at the same time a means to offer hope and consolation to the people.

He said his motivation to write stemmed from the need to deal with t= he difficulties of society. Prof. Soyinka lauded the positive contribution of mobile phone technology to the democratisation process in the world. "I am filled with joy, fulfilled and excited," Prof. Atukwei Okai sa= id, adding that a major end of Pan-African Writers Association was to build t= he recognition that the writer was an agent of change, whose contribution co= uld support development of society. Born on 13 July 1934 at Abeokuta, near Ibadan in Western Nigeria, Prof. Soyinka after preparatory university studies in 1954 at Government College in Ibadan, continued at the University of Leeds, where, later, in=

1973, he took his doctorate. During the civil war in Nigeria, Prof. Soyinka was arrested in 1967,=

accused of conspiring with the Biafra rebels, and was held as a political=

prisoner for 22 months until 1969. Prof. Soyinka has published about 20 works: drama, novels and poetry=

and writes in English and his literary language is marked by great scope and richness of words.

Mr Bode Opesitan, Public Relations Manager of Globacom, said the programme was in line with Glo's quest to inspire the youth through literature and culture. He said Glo was building a network that would be second to none and would offer Ghanaians all the advances in mobile technology.