Wole Soyinka’s First Novel in 48 Years

                   Photo sources: biography.com and ktravula.com

Professor Wole Soyinka’s third novel, Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth, will be published by Bloomsbury and Pantheon.

In a report made by The Bookseller, Bloomsbury acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada and Africa, but including South Africa) as well as audio rights from the Melanie Jackson Agency. The novel will also be published simultaneously in the US by Pantheon Books. The scheduled publication date is September 28, 2021.

Speaking of Soyinka’s new book, Paul Baggaley, editor-in-chief of Bloomsbury, said he was “blown away by the vigour, the originality, the wit, the outrage and the compassion. I couldn’t be more proud that Bloomsbury will bring this remarkable and brilliant novel to the widest readership.”

Erroll McDonald, vice president and executive editor at Pantheon, who will be editing the US edition, describes Soyinka’s novel as one which is “an often-hilarious meditation on the vicissitudes of power and greed as they corrupt the soul of a nation.”

Professor Wole Soyinka’s third novel is his first in 48 years. The Nigerian edition of the novel is available at Rovingheights. Click here to buy the book(https://rhbooks.com.ng/product/chronicles-of-the-happiest-people-on-earth/) The book is also available at The Book Seller located in Ibadan.

On Monday, the 14^th of December, friends and fans of Prof Soyinka assembled at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos and also in Ibadan, to formally launch the book. The guests in attendance at the Lagos launch included Professor Ebun Clark, Chief Newton Jibunoh, Kunle Ajibade, Executive Editor, TheNEWS magazine, and Nigeria’s Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.