An interesting interview with Wole Soyinka (by David Aaronovitch), in The Times.
Asked about the recent Walcott-Padel controversy, he says: ““I felt personally about this, I mean, for God’s sake. There but for the grace of God go I. It can happen to any of us, especially in countries like Amercia, where you can be sued for admiring a student’s skirt. And to rake this up, how many years afterwards?”
And this hilarious quip from him:
“As someone very close to Derek’s age, I resent that statement.” [apparently he says this with a “twinkle” in his eye]
The statement the Nobel Laureate resents? This: the insinuation making the rounds that, at his age (79), Walcott is too old to be potentially dangerous to women.
Read the full piece here
Tolu Ogunlesi 