A Survey of African Poetry in the London Times, Sunday Times, Financial Times, the Times Literary Supplement 1865-1985

Nigeria's leading playwright, Wole Soyinka, aged 33, has smuggled a letter out of his prison cell here, denying emphatically that he confessed to aiding the secessionist regime of the former Eastern Region. In a 202-word note written on a small piece of paper, Mr. Soyinka, who has been in custody since August 17, accused the Government of seeking to discredt him and his efforts to bring about a cease-fire in the civil war. Chief Anthony Enahoro, Federal Commissioner for Information, told journalists here on October 28 that Mr. Soyinka had admitted agreeing to spy for the Biafrans, to help them buy arms and to work "for the overthrow of the Federal Government." The commissioner said the playwright confessed to meeting Biafran leaders in their acpital at Enugu on August 6, and in the Mid-West capital of Benin three days later when it was seized by rebel forces under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Victor Banjo....