Wole Soyinka on Yoruba Religion

Beier: You never really took to Christianity at any stage ...
Soyinka: Never really - not even as a child. I remember distinctly my first essay prize at secondary school - that was in my first year. My essay was entitled: "Ideals of an Atheist." Yes, I went through all these phases. I just felt I couldn’t believe in the Christian god and for me that meant I was an atheist.
Beier: How old were you then?
Soyinka: I was eleven! But I also enjoyed being in the choir - I was a chorister. I went regularly to rehearsals. I enjoyed the festive occasion, the harvest festival, etc. Then we processed through the congregation, rather than sneaking in through the side entrances. At Christmas and New Year I enjoyed putting on the robes of a chorister. On the way to church I went to see my friend Edun, who lived in Ibarapa. And my Sunday was made even more interesting, when we met the Egungun masquerades on the way - which was quite often.

...

Beier: There was a writer from Northern Nigeria ... I think it was Ibrahim Tahir. And he made a statement, the gist of which was that Nigeria was, or was about to become, an Islamic country ...
Soyinka: I have actually forgotten that, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Beier: I am not quite certain what his real argument was or how it was phrased. But I do remember your rather fierce reply! The gist of which was that both Christianity and Islam were conservative forces that actually retarded Nigeria’s ability to copy with the modern world, whereas traditional religions - Yoruba religion at least - was something much more open, and much more capable of adaptation ...


Isokan Yoruba Magazine: Wole Soyinka on Yoruba Religion

Wole Soyinka - Wikipedia

Wole Soyinka - Wikipedia (Nederlands)

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