7 Wole Soyinka Plays That Feel Like They Were Written Today

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I was late to the party of Professor Wole Soyinka’s plays. The Nobel Laureate’s memoirs were my introduction to his oeuvre, but it wasn’t until 2018 that I finally read my first of his plays, The Lion and the Jewel. While Soyinka’s memoirs recount his relentless struggles to defend justice and human dignity against oppressive regimes through which he has lived, it is his plays that most directly reflect and comment upon the realities of those regimes. Though most of these plays were written and first performed decades ago, highlighting the ills of those seemingly distant times, their universal and timeless concerns continue to resonate strongly with us today.

In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven Wole Soyinka plays that feel as though they were written today. Whether first performed in 1960 or focused on specific issues like war or military dictatorship, the plays on this list feel eerily relevant to our present time and circumstances.

Read our recommendations below and read our latest print issue on Soyinka’s legacy here.