Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka talks about his natural inclination to combine the poetic and the political in this brief video clip:

That inclination is understandable, as Soyinka has played an active role in Nigeria’s political history and has been imprisoned for his activities. Some of his best poetry was written in prison. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, and was the first African to do so. He’s scheduled to make an appearance here at the Y April 17.

[Wole Soyinka: 04/17/06]