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Tag: Wole Soyinka

  • Soyinka cautions govt on Obasanjo’s comments

    Noble Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka yesterday urged the Federal Government to consider former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comments on rising insecurity in the country and the alleged Africa Fulanisation and Islamisation.

    He said the issues raised by Obasanjo should be taken seriously, and not dismissed.

    Obasanjo had, during the second session of the Synod of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, said that every insecurity challenge in the country must be taken seriously and addressed squarely without favouritism or cuddling.

    The former president said Boko Haram and herdsmen’s acts of violence were not treated as they should at the beginning and that they have both incubated and developed beyond what Nigeria can handle alone. They are now combined and internationalised with ISIS in control.

    He said: “It is no longer an issue of lack of education and lack of employment for our youths in Nigeria which it began as, it is now West African Fulanisation, African Islamisation and global organised crimes of human trafficking, money laundering, drug trafficking, gun trafficking, illegal mining and regime change.

    The Federal Government berated the former President on Tuesday, describing his comments as divisive and unfortunate.

    But speaking yesterday in Lagos at the Africa Day 2019 organised by United Bank for Africa (UBA), Soyinka caution the government against dismissing Obasanjo’s advice.

    Soyinka, who spoke on the theme: “Africa’s history redefined: Our past, a path to the future”, noted that the country was going through “horrendous descent into the abyss” and that the people on the street are interested in having their problems solved.

    Read also: Fed Govt attacks Obasanjo over ‘divisive’ comments

    He said that government was leaving behind the substance – high level of kidnapping, youth suicide and terrorism in the land, urging the people to unite to ensure that their demand for good and equitable leadership are achieved.

    The literary giant said: “We should be careful not to be too dismissive over the matter. The Federal Government is leaving aside the substance, which is the high level of kidnapping, youth suicide and terrorism in the country. I support unity in Africa but we need to particularize the area of unity we seek. Even Boko Haram also tries to unify everybody.

    “When you talk about Uthman Dan Fodio, what comes to people’s mind is threat to dip the Koran into the Atlantic Ocean. There are many people in this controversy. My feeling is that the response of Minister of Information shows that they are leaving behind the substance, and worried about the language.

    “Obasanjo was calling for a meeting to tackle some the serious issues in the country, including youth suicide. He said there are immediate needs to sit down and discuss these issues. And I am saying there are more immediate needs to do that.”

    Also speaking, Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, said that Africa is richly endowed and should harness all the potential that make the economy really great.

    He said that he wants to see banks, telecommunication firms, manufacturing and other sectors staring from Africa and conquering the world.

    Elumelu said: “We see MTN, Dangote Group, United Bank for Africa (UBA), all trying to make history. UBA started in Nigeria, but today, we in in more than 20 African countries. We need to encourage the younger generation through history and the fact that hard work pays. We want people with capital to invest in Africa. We also need African governments to create enabling environment for private sector to thrive.

    Also speaking, Prof. Djibril Tamsir from Guinea, said Africa should be united despite the language differences.  He said Africa should focus on leadership that benefits the populace. Other speakers at the event are Afrobeat musician, Femi Kuti and Samia Nkrumah from Ghana, among others.

  • June 12: Activists to honour Abiola

    Conveners of the ‘June 12 Democracy Movement of Nigeria’ an umbrella body for pro-democracy leaders, activists and stakeholders associated with the June 12 struggles yesterday unfolded their plan for the Democracy Day celebrations. The ceremony will be chaired by Prof. Wole Soyinka in Lagos.

    This followed the Federal Government’s recognition of June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day and the late Chief Moshood Abiola as the winner of the presidential election conducted on that day in 1993.

    The Federal Government Intervention, according to President Muhammadu Buhari, was in endorsement of the democratic struggles for the revalidation of the free, fair, credible democratic elections, but annulled by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida.

    A statement by the conveners in Lagos said: “In appreciation of the endorsement and honour done to the struggles of the June 12 pro Democracy Movement by the Federal Government, the historic significance and wider embrace of this year’s commemoration, the June 12 Democracy Movement of Nigeria has designed the 2019 nationwide celebrations to be preceded by a major Breakfast Session of Prayers, Tributes and Honours slated for MKO Abiola’s Residence in Lagos.

    “The breakfast event, which is being planned to affirm and honour MKO Abiola posthoumously as President Elect of Nigeria, has been scheduled to hold between 8am and 12noon to allow majority of our pro democracy stakeholders and allies join other government planned ceremonies afterwards. To this end the Breafast ceremony has been slated to hold as follows:

    “The date is Wednesday, June 12, 2019. The venue is MKO Abiola Democracy Centre, 46/48 MKO Abiola Crescent, off Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos

    Read Also: Hoodlums invade MKO Abiola’s property

    “The theme of this year’s anniversary, which is to be chaired by Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, Chairman of National Liberation Council of Nigeria, NALICON is: MKO Abiola, Hope ’93 and the prospects of a prosperous Democracy in Nigeria: How far? How well?

    Speakers include; Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Gen Alani Akinriade, Commodre Dan Suleiman, Bishop Mathew Kuka, Prof Pat Utomi, Col Umar Abubarkar Dangiwa, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Comrade Frank Kokori, Senator Shehu Sani, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mrs Ayo Obe, Dr. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, Mr. Femi Falana, Madam Ganiat Fawehinmi, Bashorun Dele Momodu, Comrade Olusegun Mayegun, Festus Keyamo, Alhaji Shetimma Yerima and Comrade Josef Eva.”

  • How Fela’s father’s cane shaped my life, by Soyinka

    Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has said that the strict discipline he got as a child growing up with his uncle Rev. Oludotun Ransome Kuti shaped his life to become what he is today.

    Rev Ransome Kuti was father of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

    Soyinka recalled with nostalgia how tough it was to have spent two years as a student at Abeokuta Grammar School where his uncle was principal.

    Soyinka who is one of the extended family members of the Kuti relived his two years stay at Abeokuta Grammar School at the weekend during the unveiling of the Kuti Heritage House at Isabo Abeokuta. The house was refurbished by Ogun State government.

    Read Also: Buhari failed on security, says Soyinka

    The Nobel laureate said that the two years he spent with his uncle was enough to have shaped his life and made him what he is today, though he later escaped to Government College Ibadan.

    “I remember my uncle. I remember that he wielded heavy cane that was what made us. Two years were more than enough to tune me up. I spent two years at Abeokuta Grammar School before I escaped to Government College Ibadan, which to him, was an “ajebutter” school, a school for a spoilt child,” he said. He noted, however, that irrespective of the campaign against child abuse, parents shouldn’t spare the rod.

    Soyinka who commended Ogun State government for the refurbishing and upgrading of the Fela’s family house in Abeokuta urged African governments to preserve African culture by investing in it.

    Unveiling the Kuti Heritage House, Governor Ibikunle Amosun said the gesture was part of his administration’s efforts at celebrating sons and daughters of the state and preserve the cultural heritage of the state.

    Senior Consultant to the governor on Culture and Tourism Yewande Amusan described the Kuti Heritage House as a well thought out idea and investment to preserve the legacies of the Ransome Kuti’s family as a befitting museum was put up to tell the stories of the family as a whole.

    Speaking on behalf of Kuti family, Yemisi Kuti noted that integrity, human values, hard work, selflessness, and patriotism that were put up by her family to national development in various fields of human endeavours translated to what the government and people were celebrating and not material wealth or position.

    Other memnebrs of the Kuti family who attended the event were Dotun and Yeni with their spouses.

  • Buhari failed on security, says Soyinka

    Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for his “slow response” in dealing with the terror caused by Fulani herdsmen across many parts of Nigeria.

    He said Buhari has failed on the security threat posed by herdsmen, adding that he was repeating the mistakes of his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, in not dealing with the Boko Haram menace in a timely and adequate fashion.

    “The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny”, he said.

    Soyinka appeared on the BBC’s Hardtalk programme on Monday and anchored by Zeinab Badawi.

    Read Also: Why Buhari is yet to act on NJC’s recommendation

    Reacting to Badawi’s question that he backed Buhari in 2015 describing the ex-army general as a “reformed democrat”, Soyinka said Buhari “won by default” in 2015 because it was difficult to back Jonathan and which meant supporting a continuation of the corruption associated with that regime.  Nigerians were caught “between the devil and the deep blue sea”.

    Soyinka criticized Jonathan’s ineffective response to Boko Haram, but placing the blame for failing to nip the problem in the bud at the feet of Olusegun Obasanjo, who was president from 1999 to 2007.

    He said; “Obasanjo contributed to the emergence of Boko Haram by not preventing the first governor in one of the northern states from establishing a “theocratic state”.

    Soyinka said that the president failed to act because he was “compromised” by his ambitions to continue in office beyond the second term limit.

    He was however silent about why Buhari’s response to the killings of the herdsmen was so inadequate and said little about how the problem could be tackled effectively.

  • Of Leah, Soyinka, and Boko Haram

    Title: A Humanist Ode for Chibok, Leah
    Author: Wole Soyinka
    Year of Publication: 2019
    Reviewer: Olatunbosun Taofeek

    IT was 23rd March, 2019 at Providus Bank, Lagos, when the logos of grieve hatchet our souls for Leah Sharibu at the reading of Wole Soyinka’s A Humanist Ode for Chibok, Leah. Soyinka stopped amidst his reading. A shock, a revulsive and then an abrupt silence. We were scared, of what might have happened to Soyinka while reading— an intellectual coma; or the ghost of Leah; or the unforgiven muse of the dead? Reason: Soyinka was embittered, almost weeping. Then Jahman Anikulapo walked up to him before he muttered in sobriety. In his pang of conscience of a country that would and would not be he walked out. Walked in. Finally said, “I lost a goat” sometimes in the past. This is the crux of the poem—Soyinka had lost his daughter, Iyetade; now Leah awaits in that undeserved destination of a cruel forest called Sambisa. The shock Soyinka passed through was when the entire ghosts of the dead in the catacombs of Maiduguri came in to our midst, demanding silence in their drudgeries all the way from Sambisa. They begged Soyinka to stop reading for there is no hopeful chapter in that book called Nigeria.

    In the poem, the clerics are queried on the question of slaughters as compared to the Byzantines of historic gory and macabre. He accuses the clerics of their roles and neglects to the ingenious trade of Boko Haram. Although dying is now a common article, but we should remember that “The child in us dies in the child that died”. So, we all are not free from the ghost of the neighbour who died yesterday.

    In the second part, “Revisionist, Censors, Terminal Censors”, lots of allusions were made to characters such as Salman Rushdie of Satanic Verses, Plato of The Republic, Jihad John, Krishna, Buddha, Prophet Mohammed, Jesus and the host of others, whose idealistic philosophies have squared and crooked our society— our country and the world we are. Unfortunately, all these were personas imported into Nigeria at the expense of our local deities/personas created/followed by our ancestors. This portrays how foreign “gods” are incorporated, and now they put our entire nation in the cockpit of a crashing plane. So, when the terrorist chants Allah Akbar wearing judgment robes to kill, you wonder from what world or kindred they are from.

    The illustrations by Soyinka demonstrate the failure of governance and the emergence of ravenous politicians in the space of Borno, Benue, Kaduna, Timbuktu, Mogadishu, Tripoli, Lampedusa, slave market in Mauritanian and Nairobi  where Kofi Awoonor was murdered. All these places are unhealed dirges that might one day become our sepulcher.

    Again, are the weapon of scriptures use for subjugation and brutality. Their users defend themselves with the complexity of scriptures, exonerating their inhuman felicities and orchestrated dystopia because they lack the universe of thought. The way out is for them to be an apostate for a better universal apostolate. In this, we shall have no Chibok or Dapchi wherein to cry and sorry again.

    The last part of the poem “STOP PRESS: One Said “No!” brings back the voice of Leah, a school girl in the captivity of a onerous society in a panegyric polity, where cattle are heroes and heroines of our time. Lastly, Soyinka laments: “Leah, this trial of your youth is cruel, unjust.” And hence “Humanity remains and unfinished business, Leah”.

    To Soyinka, the solution to this unflinching menace is for us to take three Nigerian Presidents (perhaps, Obasanjo, Jonathan and Buhari); give them to Boko Haram in exchange for Leah and other girls. Then we might have relative peace.

     

  • Soyinka, others call for criminalisation of Fake News

    Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and other panellists have unanimously agreed that fake news be criminalized as a way of curbing the menace.

    The call was made in Abuja on Wednesday at a symposium on fake news organised by BBC News.

    Soyinka said that fake news has the capacity to cause the Third World War, adding that it may come from Nigeria.

    The Nobel laurel, therefore, asserted that fake news be treated as a crime.

    Other panellists include Jamie Angus, Director, BBC World Service Group; Funke Egbemode, President, Nigeria Guild of Editors; Uchechukwu Pedro, Founder, Bella Naija.

    According to Soyinka, “People do not understand what is like to have things attributed to you which you know nothing about. Apart from the fact that I have been killed on social media several times. These last years I had telephone calls asking me where are you and I said I am in a hall. And I said I know why you are calling because you thought I was dead. Imagine waking up one day and finding a statement attributed to you and in a kind of language which you never used. For example, during former President Good luck Jonathan, there were statements that I said why did Jonathan marry an illiterate woman. I never made comments like that whatsoever.

    “And I made a statement that if people are not careful world war 3 may quickly be started by fake news and that fake news probably will be generated by a Nigerian. We have a system where fake news can multiply in a second. Many of the fake news carriers use it for Business. I have someone whom we have tracked down in Poland, using a fake Facebook page of my name and my picture. And I give him a deadline to pull down the page. He lives in the United States of America but lives in Poland. He is a member of an organization called some AIESEC which actually encourages young businessmen and women.

    “The first thing is to accept the fact that fake news is real and people should stop rushing to the fake sites. Individuals who have no voice before have been empowered suddenly. Every individual is now a journalist, editor promoter and most of all a publisher. There is competition to be the first to comment. So the ‘419’ individuals sleep in cafes doing all sorts of things. Fake news should be treated as a crime. When you pin down one of such criminals it should be a case of INTERPOL because they move all over the place. They should be advertised as criminals and get the police to arrest them.

    “I had complained about this to a former inspector general of police that this has to do with personal security, community security. I had expected him to reply but there was no response. Not even acknowledgement.

    “This should be a collective responsibility. Above all, we should treat it like a crime”.

    The representative of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Okoye, a National Commissioner, posited that fake news constitutes a danger to the forthcoming general elections.
    Okoye who also pointed out that the country has an army of angry people with different agenda therefore urged the security operatives to be watchful so as to arrest any threat that may want to spring up.

    The INEC commissioner also challenged Nigerians on the need to be able to draw the line on what they want to believe.

    The commission, Okoye said will be undertaking regular briefing as the elections draw near as part of the measures to curb fake news.

    Confessing that fake news is an issue ahead of the 2019 poll, Okoye said, “it is important that we should pay attention to fake news, it is an issue in the forthcoming 2019 general election.

    “Fake news is misinformation, it has no basis in fact and no basis in reality. But it is generated for a particular purpose. The issues of fake news is of most important in an election period where the stakes are high and where the gladiators wants to win and some of them want to win by all means. So there are people who just sit down mix friction in other to generate a certain reaction. And when they generate such reaction you can never tell how it will go. In a country like Nigeria sometime people receive information saying forwarded as received without you looking at the dynamics of what they are forwarding. So for me if you forward as received that means you believe in what they are forwarding or you can attest to what you are forwarding. It is a very serious issue and we are also paying close attention to fake news.

    “The truth of the matter is that during an election period people wants to guild there thoughts. As the chairman of the information on voter education committee of INEC, we have had to battle with a situation where it was reported that we have established polling unites in Chad, Niger and other neighboring countries for purposes of having the the Internally Displaced persons to vote.

    “Nobody wanted to believe us when we said that there is nothing like that. One of the things that generate fake news is our inability to put out information in the public. When we put out information and you give it a different narrative then it is not our fault. I believe that if governments, agencies are proactive in putting out information on public space. In Nigeria you keep on hearing that there is no smoke without fire. That give people the opportunity to believe something even if they know that the chances of that news to be real in not possible. ”

    Egbemode on her part warned INEC to be ready for fake news, saying politicians will do what they have to do.

    He stressed that fake news is dangerous, posited that some people are paid to spread it.

    She said: ” Fake news is sophisticated. And some people wants to use that to set the country on fire. They want to see the effect. They know that there are some people who believe in sensation and they just take a full advantage of that. In the newsroom, we also know that fake news infringes on professionalism, it compromises integrity. Names that is built, brand that is build over decades.

    Read Also: Fake News has capacity to cause great harm- Osinbajo

    “So we make sure that as an editors we cross check. If you cannot prove it then it cannot even be called a news item. That is what we do and that is what we have been doing. This is the season for more fake news. It is because of the advent and strength of the social media that we are having fake news and there are a lot of people who are paid to spread fake news. These people who post or Carry fake news are not journalists. The fake news issue did not originate from the newsroom. We know what we will lose if we peddle the smallest news item that is fake. We will lose ground, credibility. INEC should be ready for more fake news as the election approaches. There is news and there is gossip. When you want what is real you know where to go to. And when you want gossip and sensationalism you know where to go. When you want to listen to a sermon you do not go to a bar.”

    Another panelist, Uche noted that ” A lot of the fake news website mimic real news website, so they have they have similar template, it even contains lot of real information alongside the fake information. Fake news go viral than the real news. Many of these people that are posting fake news employs different methods by putting prominent figures to make it real. This is a political period we should be careful and vigilant. The traditional media is not creating fake news. Newspapers do not do that. The people who are posting fake news are not those who will benefit from it. When we have no official news people are going to take the unofficial one.”

  • Fake News may cause 3rd world War- Soyinka

    Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has said that fake news may cause 3rd World War.

    Speaking at the ongoing conference on fake news, the erudite professor warned that fake news should be treated as a crime.

    INEC representative, Festus Okoye, a National Commissioner, posited that fake news constitutes a danger to the forthcoming general elections and therefore stressed the need for the security operatives to be watchful.

    Okoye also noted that the country has an army of angry people with different agenda. The way out, he said as a people, we should be able to draw a line between what to believe and what not to believe.

    Read Also: ‘Fake news may affect 2019 elections’

    On the side of the security, he urged them to be watchful and be proactive as space is amorphous.

    He also urged INEC as a  commission to interact with people through regular press briefing so as to address issues as they come up so as not to create space for peddlers of fake news.

     

  • LASU VC congratulates Abolarinwa, first Nigerian female Urologist

    Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Vice -Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU) has congratulated Dr Abimbola Abolarinwa of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), who emerged the first female Urologist in Nigeria.

    An official bulletin of LASU made available on Saturday noted that Abolarinwa bagged the award at the prestigious “Award for the First’’, popularly known as “Zakilo’’.

    The award was presented to the recipient during the Alibaba Annual Concert on Jan. 1.

    “The LASU management, ably led by Prof. Fagbohun has identified with Dr Abolarinwa and congratulated her very warmly on this unique academic achievement.

    “The university wishes her more brilliant feats in her future endeavours, ‘’ the bulletin stated.

    Read Also: LASU will get Faculty of Pharmacy, says Sanwo-Olu

    Previous “Zakilo’’ awardees included: Wole Soyinka, Michael Adenuga, Leo Stan Eke, Chioma Ajunwa, among others.

    LASU recalled that Abolarinwa in her early years attended Air Force Primary School, Kaduna and Military School, Jos, before proceeding to the University of Ibadan to study medicine.

    After graduation, Abolarinwa worked as a medical officer for two years before she commenced her residency training at LASUTH Ikeja, Lagos.

    The female outstanding Urologist currently works in the Department of Surgery, LASUTH.

    NAN

  • I am done with honorary awards, says Soyinka

    The Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka on Friday said he was done with the conferment of Honorary  awards on him.

    He said this while receiving an Honorary Degree  of Doctor of Letters at the convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

    “This is an institution where in the same town and state is where I took my first steps to learning. So it is symmetrical, it is a closure. I said this is symbolical way to end my teaching career. But there is one thing which I thought that suppose this is the last honorary degree I receive from anywhere, what a beautiful closure it is” he said.

    “The reason I am announcing it now is because I can always use you, this institution, this town, all the royalties present, the students will hear, as a witness to this day, that the next time I am invited to accept any honorary degree, I will politely decline. I would say I have made a promise not to accept anymore”.

    “So this is it, no more. I cannot think of a more appropriate place to say this is the last honor I am receiving from anywhere. This is it and you all are witness to it”.

  • Soyinka lauds pupils as Felabration Week kicks off with debate

    Secondary school participants in the Felabration 2018 Senior Secondary Schools Debate got rare praise from Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka Wednesday when they took to the stage to debate the topic: “State Police should be implemented in Nigeria” at the Freedom Park, Lagos Island.

    Soyinka who only witnessed part of the first round of the competition, praised the pupils for the points they raised and their eloquence, describing them as promising politicians.

    “We have very promising politicians among us.  I think you (audience) have been listening to some stimulating speeches if what I heard is what you have been listening to.  I was very busy in my office before I was persuaded to join you.  But I would have spared some more time to listen to the inspiring speechers I have heard this morning.  Congratulations to all of you.  I wish you well,” he said.

    But if they are considering politics, Soyinka warned that they have to be better prepared.

    Read Also: Soyinka not leading delegation to Bordeaux

    “Try and distinguish between rhetoric and politics.  Be good speakers but if you are going to get into politics be prepared for some rough time,” he said.

    Ten schools participated in the first round of the competition, which also required all the speakers to tell what they knew about the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who was Soyinka’s first cousin.

    They were whittled down to five in the second stage where they were required to give impromptu talk about topics given to them by the judges.

    At the end of the competition, Rainbow College, Surulere came first, Vivan Fowler, second, and Ipakodo Senior Grammar School, Ikorodu, third.  The winner got a laptop, the first runner up, a Samsung tablet; and the second runner up, a Tecno tablet.  All 10 participants got phones, while their schools got keyboards.