I’m Done With Honorary Awards – Wole Soyinka

The Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka on Friday said he was done with the conferment of Honorary awards on him.

He said this while receiving an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters at the convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

“This is an institution where in the same town and state is where I took my first steps to learning. So it is symmetrical, it is a closure. I said this is symbolical way to end my teaching career. But there is one thing which I thought that suppose this is the last honorary degree I receive from anywhere, what a beautiful closure it is” he said.

“The reason I am announcing it now is because I can always use you, this institution, this town, all the royalties present, the students will hear, as a witness to this day, that the next time I am invited to accept any honorary degree, I will politely decline. I would say I have made a promise not to accept anymore”.

“So this is it, no more. I cannot think of a more appropriate place to say this is the last honor I am receiving from anywhere. This is it and you all are witness to it”.