Lola Shoneyin

By Nehru Odeh

The 50th birthday celebration of Ms Lola Shoneyin, Nigerian writer, poet, novelist, publisher, bookseller and Festival Director of the annual Ake Arts and  Book Festival took place on Saturday 24 February 2024 at her hometown, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

It turned out to be a cultural fiesta a day for celebrating not just the two scores and ten years of the life of the author of The Secret Lives Of Baba Segi’s Wives, but also her achievements in the literary world. It was also a day for reflection. It was a day of music, dance and cultural activities as the popular Eyo as well as masquerades thrilled guests with their performances. It was also a day of colours, of a carnival-like atmosphere.

It was also a day of memories, nostalgia and tributes as men and women from across the globe, including friends, family and professional colleagues, converged on Ilishan Remo to honour and pay tributes to the lady who made a definitive statement with her first poetry collection, “All The Time I was Sitting On An Egg” – a collection critically acclaimed for its freshness, its audacity and feminism.

Lola Shoneyin and her son dancing

In what looked like a double-barrelled celebration, Shoneyin had earlier treated the guests to some local delicacies and drinks in a hall where students of the Department of English in the Olabisi Onabanjo University – where Shoneyin graduated from – as well as staff of Ouida Books, recited Shoneyin’s poems and sang in her honour. That was before the guests moved to a bigger hall where they were wowed more with a variety of shows, food and drinks.

Still, those who couldn’t grace the occasion had to honour her through video presentations and documentaries. Notable among those who paid tributes to her through video presentations included colleagues and writers who have worked with Shoneyin over the years.

Lola Shoneyin and her dad

However, Niyi Osundare, multiple award-winning poet, essayist, columnist, scholar and Distinguished Emeritus  Professor of English at the University of New Orleans, United States has come down hard on the way politics is played in Nigeria was present.

The accomplished writer seized the opportunity to comment on the state of things in Nigeria. Hen said the country is so disabled, and its politics the way it is, with the country not making any headway more than three decades after independence because its citizens don’t ask questions. Osundare, it would be recalled, has always said the country’s leaders are not only to blame but the followership too who, he believes, are too docile.

However, Osundare used the occasion to lambaste the country, urging Nigerians to borrow a leaf from the uncommon courage, interrogativeness and determination Shoneyin has shown over the years. According to Osundare, if Nigerians asked questions, the country’s politics would not be the way it is at the moment.

“So many similarities between Toni Morrison and  Lola Shoneyin. One, interrogativeness. When people say it can not be done, instinctively you ask, ‘Why not?’ ‘Why. That is one word containing three letters that I wish we were using more frequently in Nigeria.

Lola Shoneyin and her immediate family

“We are not a thinking people yet. No. It is the thinking of people who ask why? If we ask why, our politics would not be the way it is at the moment. We would not be ruled like horses. We would not be ruled in a way that insults us.

“Lola challenges us. Yes rascally, restless in a creative sense of the word. She could be misunderstood, but she has always had her eyes on the ball, her eye on the future,” Osundare averred.

However, the author of the award-winning “Eye Of The Earth”, started his speech by thanking Shoneyin for making that occasion possible and for what she represents.

“I want to begin by thanking Lola Shoneyin for making today’s occasion possible. I want to let her know that she is the primary object of our celebration.  But she is not the ultimate goal. We are celebrating this country. We are celebrating our future, our possible future, which is just apparent in our present situation.

L-R: Dr Wale Okediran, Prof. Niyi Osundsre, Lola Shoneyin, Reuben Abati

“This country makes it almost impossible for us to be optimistic. And I used to think about myself as a naturally optimistic person. But there is so much downturn in every aspect of our lives.  But when I am at the brink I usually step back from the ditch. When I remember people like Lola Shoneyin, the laughter she represents, the reservoir of ideas that she is, her courage, her mischievous humour and her intelligence.

“We are connected, one way or another.  People know Lola as the person who inaugurated Ake Fest.  But I wonder does our society know and appreciate the importance of an organization like that?  Why didn’t it happen before now? There were book fairs, they ran for a few years and collapsed. But this has been on for so long.

“Ake Fest brings women and men of ideas, scholars, writers, poets, whatever, from different parts of the world to Nigeria, I hope our governments, both at the state level and the federal level, know what it means. That the billions of naira that we spent on ‘let’s make Nigeria known,’ ‘let’s spend more on tourism,’ ‘let’s invite outside investment’ and so on.

*These things are hogwash until we anchor them on the kind of initiative that Ake Fest is giving us.  Everywhere I go in Europe and I travel quite a bit,  people ask me, ‘Ake Fest, you know Lola Shoneyin?’ And with pride, I would say ‘Yes I know her. She was my former student, she is a poet. I am teaching her book at the University of New Orleans.’

“About five days ago I was giving a lecture in Ibadan- Ibadan Jazz  Forum. And this is what I said:  ‘Nigeria is a country of beautiful people. Let us ask, how do we end up producing an ugly country?’ This is a question I have asked in all the seventy-whatever years of my life. How a country that has so much in it be so ugly and be so disabled?

‘It is not enough to praise Lola Shoneyin, it is also important to borrow a leaf from some of her courage, some of her vision, some of her stubborn mischievousness, and some of her resilience. And so many people are like that here. And so in celebrating her, we are celebrating the best in us. Let us make Nigeria better,” Osundare maintained.

Prof. Niyi Osundare

Dr Reuben Abati, who was Shoneyin’s lecturer at Olabisi Onabanjo University, was also full of praise for her, as he went down memory lane talking about her brilliance and the promise she showed as a student despite her independent spirit. He also said he was proud of the superstar his former student Shoneyin has become.

“I would like to congratulate Lola Shoneyin on the occasion of her 50th birthday. You’ve been a blessing to the family, to the community, to the literature community in particular, and to everyone privileged to know you.

“So you see me here standing here, it’s a teacher; ‘s happy moments.  When she sent me the invitation that she would be 50, I was excited. I told her I would be there. It is indeed a rare privilege to have been the teacher of a woman who has turned out to be one of the leading lights of the literary community not only in Nigeria but also in Africa and the world. An author of books, and a promoter of literature, she runs the publishing company called Ouida Books, where she also publishes books, and encourages literature.

Lola Shoneyin’s daughters

“She was particularly rascally. You know these things they called mini-skirts, bum shorts. She would come to the campus, the thing would be here. And she was all over the place.  So there was no way you would not notice her. Then when it came to exam periods,  you would mark the papers. As a lecturer, you are not supposed to know the identity of your students. So, you will mark it because it is a matric number.

“But in my case, after marking, after seeing the students that did well, I would go and check. ‘Who is this student?’ And I would check. And I would see Alexandria Titilola Shoneyin.  I would say how can this gIrl score high marks consistently? In all the courses I taught, she would score an A. That was how I became afraid because of her brilliance.

“And she has proven it in later life and she has justified all the efforts people like me have put in. And this should be a lesson and an example for all the young people who are here today.  You can do well if you put your mind to it. You can excel. And I am happy we are doing this in Ilishan Remo.

“She used to remind us that she is a princess. And to me, honouring her town, honouring her community and honouring her parents, to me is also something very special.  And so I congratulate the people of Ilishan Remo. Having this princess,  and this same superstar who has done well for them and representing them well in the larger human community,” Abati noted.

Ladi Shoneyin, the celebrant’s elder brother, was one of her many family members both at home and abroad who paid befitting tributes to her. Ladi, who said he appreciated Shoneyin so much, described her as very hardworking and a woman with a sense of humour.

Lola Shoneyin and staff of Ouida Books

“He also recalled her fast reading ability as they grew up, a skill she honed and showed at a very early age, adding that she had been a challenge to him and his brothers. Ladi also spoke about her generosity and sense of family values. “I love her so much. Anytime I call, she picks up. Anytime I  ask for her assistance, she assists. I love you, my sister,” he said.

“There was a time our dad tried, bought novels, saying we must read. And maybe within a week, I would be able to read three chapters. Because I was only interested in things about animals and livestock. But I would ask Lola. ‘How many chapters have you read?’ She would say she had read the Pacesetters – three novels – in a day. I would say ‘My Goodness.’

Lola Shoneyin and her children dancing

“So, I am not surprised where she is today. I remember in those days when we were in secondary school, she was very very playful. And our dad came up with an idea. Dad always bought her a textbook on any subject. Whenever bought a textbook, he would buy himself the same. They were both reading together. One lesson I learnt from our parents was good parenting. Dad cared. He made sure that she was serious with her studies,” Ladi reminisced.

The birthday celebration was indeed superb, what with all those who had encountered Lola either through her books or in real life testifying about her amazing personality, humanity, kindness and loyalty. This included not just students of Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye but also staff of Ouida Books, writers like Wana Udobang, and Helon Habila as well as those who had worked with her both locally and internationally.

Eyo masqueraders performing

Aremo, for instance, who opened the floor by reciting a poem in Yoruba entitled ‘Eso’, meaning fruits or seeds, spoke about how he first encountered Shoneyin’s name on Facebook. “She has always been one person I had always wanted to meet in my literary journey. And then coming across her two years back or so. Every encounter since then has been helpful. Her story as a person is inspiring for me as a creative,” he said.

Ejiro Edwards, one of the staff of Ouida Books who recited an interactive poem entitled ‘My Boss’ also spoke about Shoneyin’s humanity. “I remember the first time I called Ms LS (Shoneyin). I just finished school, and I knew I wanted to work with somebody who I looked up to.  So I called her on the phone. I said Hello Ms LS IIIII want to work with you. And she was like is everything alright? ‘Are you okay?  And she said, ‘Ejiro whenever you are ready come back to Lagos and you will work with us.’”

Dr. Reuben Abati

Oguntade Morenikeji Sarah, a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University, cited Shoneyin’s poem, “She Tried’. Aside from the fact that that poem is feminist, Professor Osundare later told the guests that he had taught that poem to his students at the University of New Orleans.

“She (Shoneyin) has given us so much to be happy about. She’s given us so much to think about. I blessed the young lady who read “She Tried” today. We performed that poem in my class in New Orleans. She tried to do that, She tried to do this, She tried to do that, she tried to do this so much so that She Tried became some kind of nickname for the person who was doing the presentation that year,” Osundare recalled.

Prof. Niyi Osundare

A very significant and emotional moment was when the celebrant’s immediate family members, comprising her husband Dr Olaokun Soyinka and her four children paid tributes to her in a video, thanking her for being a great wife and mother. Olaokun himself later paid more tributes to Shoneyin when he read her profile in a separate video.

“She marks her half century this year and it is hard to believe, given the amount she has achieved in that short space of time – most of us we must be about 70 to have what she has achieved.  She has shown her talent as a writer,  poet,  bookseller, editor and publisher. She has also been a singer, a teacher, a dancer, a designer, an athlete a public speaker, a cultural activist, a video editor, a PR practitioner, a publicist, an event creator and a festival organizer.  And of course a mentor, a mother and a wife, among other things.

A student of Olabisi Onabanjo University performing

“Those of you who know her would not be surprised to hear that she decided to come out early, no doubt eager to get on with life. There is, however, no truth to the rumour that as soon as her hands were free, she was gesticulating to the midwife to get a move on,” Olaokun maintained.

Still, another very significant moment that day was when Shoneyin paid a befitting tribute to her 96- 96-year-old father, who was present throughout the celebration and also showed some dance steps.

“A great man in my life that I haven’t introduced or spoken about is my dad.  And his favourite sentence is ‘I am only 96’. That’s what he loves to say. And you’ve been such a wonderful dad to me. You’ve nurtured everyone of my dreams. It is because of you that I am the person that I am today.

“You’ve loved me, no matter what I have done. And I know I have upset you several times.  But you’ve always been consistent in loving me, in forgiving me, in embracing me and in encouraging me to be the best that I can be. Thank you so much, Daddy,”  she said.

Lola Shoneyin and Prof. Osundare

That indeed spoke volumes. Yet the birthday bash did not end without Shoneyin remembering and paying tributes to her friends, relatives and colleagues who had impacted her life in one way or the other but are no longer around. She did it through a video presentation.

The soulful music that accompanied the video as well as the memories it engendered made not just that moment an emotional one but also the celebration a time for remembrance and indeed sober reflection.

And that signalled the end of a stupendous birthday bash in honour of a writer who, as Osundare said, “has given us much to be happy about and much to think about.”