Meet the Advocates: Tunde fagbenle [3/5]

Tunde Fagbenle

Mr Tunde Fagbenle is a media entrepreneur. He began his media career as Managing Editor of international TRAVELS magazine in 1978. He is chairman of Alfa Communications Ltd, a publishing and media consulting outfit which he co-founded in 1984, renowned for its authoritative Nigeria Banking Annual with its celebrated pioneering Banker of the Year Award. 

Mr Fagbenle was publisher of the defunct popular 'Nigeria Homenews' weekly newspaper published in London from 1989-1992, and CEO of Terra Firma Agencies of Goodge Street, London. 

When the late General Abacha came to power, Mr Fagbenle founded the UK based Movement for Democracy & a Human Rights in Nigeria campaigning against further military rule in Nigeria and the validation of Chief MKOAbiola's mandate as democratically elected President of Nigeria. The activism together his strident column in the Nigerian PUNCH newspaper earned him a solitary detention stint by Abacha's military government in 1996 when he visited Nigeria. 

Mr Fagbenle is more widely known in Nigeria for his long running but now rested, hard-hitting, forthright column on the back page of the SUNDAY PUNCH, a column which had appeared at different times in the SUNDAY TRIBUNE and TRUST newspapers.

He is author of two books: Nigeria: This Is My Country, Damn It - published in 2001; and, Nigeria, A Thousand Laughs, a Thousand Cries - published in 2010, with Professor Wole Soyinka as the Guest Speaker at the launch of the book.

Born on October 4, 1947, Mr. Fagbenle turns 70 next year, 2017.

Mr Tunde Fagbenle is an advocate amongst five others for this year's edition of the WSICE [Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange]

Meet the Advocates: Omofolabi Ajayi-Soyinka [4/5]

Omofolabo Ajayi-Soyinka

An interdisciplinary scholar, Omofolabo Ajayi-Soyinka’s teaching, research, and creative works encompass theatre, literary and gender studies, including the theories that inform them. Her works examine, discourses on power, gender, race, and nationality especially in Africa and the Diaspora. Author of several books and chapters, her recent publication is a co- edited collection of poems, "Reflections: An Anthology of New Works by African Women Poets. (2013). Choreographer, and dancer, she has worked with several playwrights, directors and given performances both in Nigeria and internationally.

Ajayi-Soyinka’ recently retired from the University of Kansas, Lawrence where she was head of 

faculty in the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Theatre Department. She taught for many years in the Dramatic Arts Department at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Nigeria. As Professor emeritus, she continues to engage with research, publications and giving public lectures . She is currently working on 'Women in Lagos State,' her poetry collection, and exploring  relationship between African migrants and African Americans.

Omofolabo Ajayi-Soyinka is an advocate amongst others for this year's edition of WSICE [Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange].