Born in Abeokuta, Nigeria on July 13, 1934. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, becoming the first African laureate. Alongside his literary career, he has also worked as an actor and in theaters in Nigeria and Great Britain. His works include plays, poetry, novels, and essays. He writes in English, but his works are rooted in his native Nigeria and the Yoruba culture, with its legends, tales, and traditions. His writing also includes influences from Western traditions - from classical tragedies to modernist drama.