Wole Soyinka: “Water Takes Up Space, I Prefer Wine”

Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has revealed that he enjoys drinking wine instead of water, explaining that it helps him in both work and rest.

In an interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo, Soyinka shared that water doesn’t provide him with the inspiration or satisfaction that wine does.

Responding to Madowo’s question about why he substituted water with wine during the interview, Soyinka said, “Water just takes up space, and it belongs to other commodities. So, I am not keen on water. I avoid water as much as possible.”

He further explained that wine works differently for him depending on the situation:

“A good, robust wine either sends you to sleep right away or inspires you to work. You never know which way it will work,” said the Nobel laureate, who turned 90 on July 13, 2024.

Reflecting on his literary career, Soyinka discussed how advancements in technology have changed his writing habits.

“I no longer can write on a piece of paper, except maybe scraps of poetry,” he said.

He admitted that trying to keep up with every technological advancement can be overwhelming: “You don’t attempt to be up to date with everything. Because after a while, it gets too much.”

The literary icon humorously shared his experience with modern machines:

“And the next thing, you have a machine which talks, and it talks back to you. I said shut up I am the one doing the writing, and then it’s attempting to correct me, what type of nonsense is that?”

At 90, Soyinka continues to find inspiration for his work, often in complete solitude.

“I get my best ideas in isolation. And that isolation includes even being on a plane where nobody is talking to me.

My space is total isolation,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of quiet time in his creative process.

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