Why have so few read Soyinka? And can we find hope through his cynical dramas?

I admit I am a victim of the myth-making around me which has made Soyinka and other African writers largely invisible. Let’s see why.

Episode 6.24 –

Words from Nigeria Pt 2: Soyinka’s Tiger & Brother Jero

African writers named in this episode and some of the most rewarding reads:

Soyinka, Wole: The Trials of Brother Jero, Kongi’s Harvest, The Lion and the Jewel, A Play of Giants
Achebe, Chinua: Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, The Anthills of Savannah
Cole, Teju: Open City, Known and Strange Things
Emezi, Akwaeke: Pet, Freshwater
Nwapa, Flora: Efuru, This is Lagos and Other Stories
Saro-Wiwa, Ken: Sozaboy
Iyay, Festus: Violence
Okorafor, Nnedi: Binti, Noor, Death of the Author
Braithwaite, Oyinkan: My Sister the Serial Killer
Okri, Ben: The Famished Road, Starbook
Abani, Chris: Graceland, The Secret History of Las Vegas

Western writers from this episode:

Kipling, Rudyard: Kim, The Jungle Book, “White Man’s Burden”
Haggard, H. Rider: King Solomon’s Mine
Cary, Joyce: Mister Johnson
Ballyntine, R. M.: Coral Island
Collins, Wilkie: Moonstone
Boulle, Pierre: Planet of the Apes
Burroughs, Edgar Rice: A Princess of Mars
Cameron, James: Avatar
Cooper, James Fenimore: The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder
Heinlein, Robert: Starship Troopers
Longyear, Barry B.: Enemy Mine
Verne, Jules: Master of the World, The End of Nana Sahib

Complete Resources: https://waywordsstudio.com/project/le-guin-omelas/

CHAPTERS

00:00 My White Mythology
08:35 Intro Theme
09:08 Tigritude
13:24 Frictions and Flux
21:58 The Text: The Trials of Brother Jero
29:53 The Trickster and False Omelas
37:38 From Satire to Ontology
38:50 Closing Credits

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New to Literary Nomads? Check out my introductory episodes (0.1-0.3) to find out what’s going on here! I’ve got an episode for readers, for teachers, and for students: https://waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/waywords-podcast/

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Transcript: https://waywordsstudio.com/general/transcript/6-24-nigeria-2-soyinka

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Literary Nomads is the primary program of Waywords Studio (https://waywordsstudio.com). The podcast posts new material each week, with thought-provoking examinations of literature around selected questions or themes and several smaller supplemental episodes in between the larger programs: history, writing, and contemporary applications of ideas.

Visit us for expanded resources for guests and the Waywords community, for other programs and writing, and for opportunities to support our goal to expand reading. Resources available can include full bibliographies of material referenced, full and partial texts, annotated editions, supplemental and expanded episodes, fictional explorations, teaching and learning resources, additional essays, and online courses.

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CREDITS:

Original music by Randon Myles (https://randonmyles.com/)

Chapter headings by Natalie Harrison and Sarah Skaleski

USING THIS WORK:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. It is open to be used and adapted for all not-for-profit uses with proper attribution.

MLA CITATION:

Chisnell, Steve. “6.24 Words from Nigeria Pt 2: Soyinka’s Tiger & Brother Jero,” Literary Nomads. Waywords Studio, 23 January 2026, https://waywordsstudio.com/project/le-guin-omelas/.