Wole Soyinka: Cancer is not a death sentence

Wole Soyinka has assured Nigerians that Cancer is not a death sentence after he revealed yesterday  that he was diagnosed of cancer a year ago. Prof Soyinka who is cancer free now after undergoing a vigorous treatment that ended in October this year, said although he was uncomfortable speaking about his experience, he was obligated to speak about it now so as to get rid of the public perception that being diagnosed with cancer is a death sentence.

"It never occurred to me to test myself because men have their separate test like women and I have heard people who lost very dear ones, closed ones. They just told me, ‘Prof, we hope you’re having your own?’ And I told them I had one 10 years ago and he said, 'No, no, do it regularly.' And by accident in December last year, I discovered that I had cancer.

"For me, this is not a decision which I like but I felt I have all obligation, being a member of African Cancer Centre, and also having even donated a performance during the festival, fund raising for cancer, I am under obligation to make it known and to also demystify cancer. Many people feel it is a death sentence. Family feel it; friends, colleagues, they begin to look at you as if you are a ghost once there is rumour you have cancer. No, cancer is not a death sentence, it is curable, I have undergone the treatment and I am able to tell you that I even have a model, that’s my certificate.”