A Professor of African and African-American Studies and of Comparative Literature, Biodun Jeyifo, on Saturday, described Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, as a beacon of truth.
“Ordinarily people don’t support the truth, but Prof. Soyinka isn’t one of those people,” Jeyifo said at the 16th edition of the Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture Series.
He was the keynote speaker at the event organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism in commemoration of Prof. Wole Soyinka’s 90th birthday.
The event took place at the Muson Centre in Lagos State.
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The lecture was on: “The Death of Truth? Realism, Literature and Journalism in an Age of Disinformation”.
According to Jeyifo, many people tell lies partially or fully.
“People lie in government, people generally lie a lot either partially or seriously.
“They lie about age, weight, wealth or poverty. Justice and injustice are the instigators of this unending war between the truth and lies.
“Prof. Soyinka is a beacon of truth,” Jeyifo, of Harvard University, U.S., said.
The lecture series Chairperson, a Professor of Media History, Umaru Pate said the celebrant, Prof. Wole Soyinka an absolute fighter against falsehood and highly respected citizen on many occasions dedicated his ideas and writing to protect truth even at the expense of his life.
Pate said with the growing level of disinformation, journalists should live above board to champion the fight for the survival of truth for the contribution of people like Wole Soyinka not to be in vain.
In a remark, the Executive Director, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Ms Motunrayo Alaka said although journalism is pivotal to the defence of truth, society owes it to itself to defend the truth and the values that support it.
She said journalism must become more proactive about seeking out facts, reality and truth and document the same with increased accuracy.
”We first hosted the Media Lecture Series in 2008. We have held it since 2009 on this day, 13th July -to honour Professor Wole Soyinka, our grand patron, ”Alaka said.
A panellist and journalist, Ms Kadaria Ahmed, remarked that Truth was in a coma.
“Truth is not dead but it is barely surviving because a lot of us are biased.
“Our society is heading toward a dystopian society whereby some people feel they are superior and can get away with things,” she said.
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Renowned poet Odia Ofeimun, and Chiamaka Okafor, Co-founder of Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue Foundation, shared the views of Ahmed.
Recalls that Soyinka won the 1986 Noble Prize in Literature for his wide perspective and poetic prowess.
He has published more than 90 pieces of work including: A Dance of the Forests (1960). It was written for Nigeria’s independence celebration.
The others are The Lion and the Jewel (1959) and Death and the King’s Horseman (1975).
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