Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has found himself at the center of a literary storm.
Fans of African literature are sparking a heated debate on social media, criticizing the renowned author’s works for prioritizing complex grammar over meaningful content. Some said the work was as if one was forcing them to read a dictionary.
The conversation began when social media personality, now book critic, Empress Judas narrated her ordeal about picking up some African literature at a bookstore, where she purchased Wole Soyinka’s “2006, You must set at dawn” for the price of twenty thousand naira.
She took to social media to express frustration with Soyinka’s writing style, citing overly intricate language and complicated sentence structures that have an unclear narrative and more especially, how she could not connect with the book. Others quickly joined the discussion, sharing similar sentiments and questioning the balance between linguistic mastery and storytelling as Soyinka seemed more focused on vocabulary than the actual message.
Critics argue that Soyinka’s emphasis on grammatical precision often overshadows the plot and character development, making his works challenging to follow and less accessible to a broader audience. Literature enthusiasts and fans were torn apart. Some part of them agreed with her, that indeed, readers find it difficult to connect to his books, unlike Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Adichie or Cyprian Ekwensi.
However, loyal fans and scholars have rushed to Soyinka’s defense, emphasizing the significance of his unique writing style and its contribution to African literature. They claimed that the people against Soyinka’s style of writing and choice of words are soft illiterates, lazy to learn. And mostly they do not find his books relatable because they read it like a “novel” meanwhile, it is a “play”.
As the debate rages on, many are calling for a reassessment of Soyinka’s works, seeking a balance between linguistic artistry and compelling storytelling.
Despite the criticism, Wole Soyinka’s impact on African literature remains undeniable. His works continue to inspire generations of writers and scholars.
As the literary community continues to discuss and dissect Soyinka’s writing style, one thing is clear: his legacy will endure, even as the debate surrounding his works rages on.
