Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has been celebrated as a cultural deity and not merely a literary legend, by the Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Biodun Ajiboye.

Ajiboye, who is also the Secretary of the World Orisha Congress (WOOCON), made the remarks in Brazil during a cultural exchange event tagged “Brazil-Nigeria: Heritage, Dialogue and Future.” The programme was convened at the Legislative Chamber of the Federal District in collaboration with Oduduwa Heritage Home and Parliamentarian Gabriel Magno.

Speaking before participants, Ajiboye said Soyinka’s elevation beyond the ranks of celebrated figures is anchored on his enduring impact on humanity through literature, thought, and advocacy.
“Professor Wole Soyinka should not be referred to merely as a legend but as a timeless figure whose voice transcends generations, embodying both the conscience and creative spirit of Africa,” Ajiboye declared.

Recalling his personal journey of admiration for the laureate, Ajiboye said his reverence for Soyinka dated back to childhood.

“When I was ten years old, my father told me a story. He said there was a man who spoke English so well that even if he spoke to a tree, the tree would obey him. That man was Wole Soyinka. From that moment, I promised my father that I would go to school and one day become a friend to that legend called Professor Wole Soyinka,” he recounted.
He added that two decades ago, his role in the Nigeria Telecom Awards created an opportunity to meet members of Soyinka’s family, which blossomed into a relationship with the Nobel Laureate himself.

Ajiboye also used the platform to reflect on his cultural roots as a devotee of Orisa, stressing the importance of cultural identity in national development.

“I was born into Orisa. My grandmother was an Orisa worshipper, and my grandfather was a Babalawo. I have no regrets about this heritage, and I stand proudly before the world to declare that I am an Orisa person,” he stated.
He warned against the loss of cultural consciousness, describing it as a void that weakens both individuals and nations.

“A nation without a cultural identity is a nation without a future. A man without a cultural identity is like one hanging in the sky — his head not touching the heavens, and his feet not touching the earth. Sadly, that is the reality of many of my brothers and sisters here today,” he said.

The World Orisha Congress, which Ajiboye serves as Secretary, is preparing for a global convergence of over five million devotees in Nigeria. The gathering aims to reconnect practitioners of the faith with their ancestral roots.

Prof. Soyinka currently serves as a Patron of WOOCON alongside Prof. Wande Abimbola. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, chairs the body, with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, as Co-Chairman. Other leaders include Otunba Francis Meshioye as Vice Chairman and Oba Jacob Olobaleshin Oyetunji, the Ataoja of Oshogbo, as Deputy Chairman.