Wole Soyinka (b. 1934) is a Nigerian playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist, widely regarded as one of Africa's most influential writers. In 1986, he became the first African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Soyinka's works often explore themes of power, oppression, and cultural identity, blending traditional African storytelling with modernist techniques. Known for plays like Death and the King’s Horseman and The Lion and the Jewel, as well as his activism against authoritarian regimes, Soyinka remains a towering figure in global literature and human rights advocacy.