The documentary “Ebrohimie Road: A Museum of Memory” is set to make its grand debut this July, coinciding with the 90th birthday celebrations of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, the renowned poet and playwright. This 110-minute film, crafted by writer and culture researcher Kola Tubosun and cinematographer Tunde Kelani, sheds light on a small yet historically significant bungalow on the University of Ibadan campus where Soyinka once lived and worked.
Located just a few metres from the bustling main gate of the University of Ibadan, the bungalow on Ebrohimie Road holds a storied past. It was here in 1967 that Soyinka was arrested on espionage charges after attempting to dissuade Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu, the leader of the Biafra Republic, from engaging in war with the Nigerian government. This daring act led to his imprisonment for 29 months under the regime of Lt. General Yakubu Gowon. Soyinka’s ordeal and his experiences during the Nigerian Civil War have been recounted in his memoirs, The Man Died (1971) and You Must Set Forth at Dawn (2006).
Following his release in October 1969, just weeks before the war’s end, Soyinka returned to the house but chose to leave his position at the University of Ibadan. He went into exile in 1971, later joining the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where he remained until 1985, a year before winning the Nobel Prize in Literature.
“Ebrohimie Road: A Museum of Memory” not only explores Soyinka’s personal history but also delves into the broader national significance of the events that took place in and around the bungalow. The film features interviews with Soyinka’s family, friends and associates, providing a rich tapestry of narratives that illuminate the intersection of personal and political history. It examines how this modest campus residence became a focal point for significant issues in Nigerian social, political, and literary history, many of which resonate to this day.
The documentary’s premiere is scheduled for July 11, 2024, at the University of Lagos as part of a full-day scholarly event organised by the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange (WSICE) and the Nigeria Academy of Letters (NAL). Themed “ENI-OGUN: An Enduring Legacy,” the event will include a symposium, dance performance and reception in addition to the film screening.
Following its premiere, “Ebrohimie Road: A Museum of Memory” will be showcased at various cultural and historical centres worldwide. Confirmed and potential screening dates include:
– University of Lagos, Nigeria – July 11, 2024
-Africa Centre, London – July 20, 2024
-Centro Cultural Africano, Mexico – July 13, 2024
-Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), Freedom Park, Lagos – July 14, 2024
– Hutchinson Center, Harvard University, USA – September 2024
– University of Leeds, UK – October 2024
– Lagos International Poetry Festival, Lagos, Nigeria – October 24-27, 2024
– Lagos Book & Art Festival (LABAF/CORA), Freedom Park, Lagos – November 2024
The film is produced by Olongo Africa and supported by the Open Society Foundation and Sterling Bank Nigeria. The official website and trailers for the documentary provide further insights and previews of what promises to be a compelling exploration of memory, history, and legacy.
For more information and screening inquiries, visit [Ebrohimie Road’s official website: http://ebrohimie.olongoafrica.com or check out the film’s IMDB page and trailers on YouTube.