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Nobel Laureate vs. Taxi Scammer: How Wole Soyinka outsmarted his kidnapper

Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has revealed how he was abducted and robbed during a visit to Bucharest, Romania, where he had travelled to attend the Sibiu International Theatre Festival.

The playwright, who was to be honoured at the event, recounted the harrowing experience in an interview with TheNews in Lagos.

Soyinka said he landed in Bucharest after midnight and boarded what appeared to be an official taxi bound for his hotel. However, his journey took a dangerous turn when the driver diverted to a remote and dimly lit location.

“At nearly 1 a.m., the driver stopped in an unfamiliar place and revealed a POS machine, urging me to enter my pin,” Soyinka explained.

The laureate recalled how he tried to outwit the assailant by repeatedly entering the wrong code.

“For about 25 to 30 minutes, I deliberately entered the wrong pin, buying time, hoping someone would appear, maybe someone from the hotel or a passerby. But the place was completely deserted,” he said.

The situation escalated into a tense confrontation between Soyinka and the driver, who continued to demand access to his bank account.

Eventually, the driver abandoned him close to his hotel, but not before robbing him of money. Reflecting on the ordeal, Soyinka emphasised that the incident was more significant than his personal loss.

“Not that I like to lose money. But for me it’s much smaller. It’s not just an attack on me as an individual; it’s an assault on the community,” he remarked.

The Sibiu International Theatre Festival, one of the largest performing arts gatherings in the world, has yet to comment on the incident.

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