‘None of us envisaged we were laying the foundation of a virulent cult’ – Soyinka n Others

Today, the Pyrates Confraternity has become a terrible cult in the Nigerian universities, founded at the University of Ibadan in 1953by Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nat Oyelola, Sylvanus Egbuche, Pius Olehi, AIG Imokhuede, Ralph Okwara and Prof. Bolanle Awe.

But Prof Awe is now a pastor and he is confessing;

“The idea was conceived by Wole himself, at least I know he was the one who talked to me. I don’t know who spoke to the other five members but we actually assembled at Teeder Hall, the second hall to be completed after Melamby.

“We assembled in the basement and just made merry in the evening. We were just out to be different and I saw it to be fun.

“ None of us envisaged that we were laying the foundation of a virulent cult in that 1953/54 session, though the association insisted that it was in 1952 hence they celebrated their 50 years in 2002.

“It was solely based on friendship. My own interpretation was that at the appropriate time, Satan hijacked what we started since we didn't know where we were going.

“I must say that I did not officially renounce until I became a Christian. I kept being less and less active because I kept seeing it as an activity for children and younger people.

But when I became born-again and established this ministry, I consciously went to God and confess that we were the people who started this thing, which has become something we did not envisage. I asked Him to forgive me and forgive the rest of us and I confessed on behalf of others too. That is the only time I’ll say I renounced it. It was a private thing.

Have you spoken about Christ to Wole Soyinka?

“I have not but I will certainly welcome the opportunity. The only problem I envisage is that unless God softens Wole’s heart, it might be difficult to speak with him on Christ.