Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has been appointed as “Arts Professor of Theater” at the New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the institution said Soyinka became the first ever Nobel prize winner to be part of the NYUAD faculty as an integral part of its academic strategy and mission as an educational institution.
NYUAD said that Soyinka’s employment as a full-time faculty member offers the university community “direct access to one of the world’s greatest thinkers”.
It said that the Nobel laureate, 88, would play a key role towards building the university’s deep strength within the arts and its growth as a preeminent research and teaching university and world-class leader in global higher education.
The university said Soyinka first became a part of the NYUAD community as a Writer-in-Residence in 2019.
His visit then was through a joint invitation from the African Studies, Film and New Media, History, Literature and Creative Writing, and Theater programs, hosted by the NYUAD Institute and supported by other offices across the University.
NYUAD Vice Chancellor Mariët Westermann said, “It is a great honor to have Wole Soyinka, a world-renowned artist, academic, and activist, a true citizen of the world and a Nobel laureate join our NYUAD community.
“Our location in Abu Dhabi, a transnational crossroads for the exchange of cultural and artistic traditions, positions NYUAD uniquely to catalyze new creativity and discourse. We are excited to provide a home in the UAE for the beauty and power of Soyinka’s contributions to our understanding of our histories and our humanity.”
NYUAD Provost Arlie Petters said, “Soyinka has built an impressive legacy in his home country of Nigeria as well as Africa and the entire world. The students he has taught and mentored, and the legion of teachers who have translated, developed and extended his ideas, remain the most tangible and long-lasting legacy. Our community is privileged to be part of that journey and his ongoing work that will impact generations to come.”
Award the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, Soyinka has published 90 pieces of intellectual work that often reflect on culture and tradition, creativity and power, activism, and the artistic process.
He has held university professorships and lectured at many higher education institutions, including Harvard, Emory, Loyola Marymount, and Yale in the United States. He is also an active member of international, artistic, and human rights organizations.