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World-renowned Nobel laureate and Scholar, Wole Soyinka, has lost faith in Nigeria has country

In a statement on Friday, Soyinka, who was reacting to the controversy that followed the presidential election results, said ridding the country of time servers who had taken up leadership positions in the country would be an effort in getting on the right track.

He said democracy in Nigeria had fallen apart, adding that violence, tyranny, and misinformation had become the order of the day.

“The instigating contest – Nigerian Democracy 2023 – has witnessed much that is innovative – largely in the retrogressive vein,” Soyinka said.

“Violence and ethnic profiling. ‘Spiritual’ warfare in the shape of sacrificial rams to keep ‘disloyal’ communities under restraint – in short, intimidation yet again! Easily overlooked however are those missives of violence directed against dissenting voices, real or suspect.”

According to the professor, protecting structures from partisan stances and material inducements would set the pace for a revolution in the country.

“Project NIGERIA, I must confess, has become near terminally soul-searing. Do I still believe in it? I am no longer certain but – first, we must rid ourselves of the tyranny of the ignorant and the opportunism of time servers,” he said.

“In any case, there is not much else to engage one on a foundation of ownership stakes. There is of course, always the possibility of a Revolution, with a clarity of purpose and acceptance of all attendant risks, including costly errors. Revolutions are not however based on the impetus of speculative power entitlement.

“No matter, until that moment, the structures that ensure just and equitable cohabitation must be protected from partisan appropriation – be it from material inducement, fake news, or verbal terrorism – the last being the contribution of one who is positioned to assume co-leadership of the nation, no less.

“Revolution is not about lining up behind the nearest available symbol. When a symbol does emerge, however, we are still obliged to examine every aspect of what is fortuitously on offer, and continue to guard our freedoms every inch of the way.

However, In a subsequent statement, the Nobel laureate said he warned Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the LP, that his supporters — dubbed ‘Obidients’ — may cost him the election.

Soyinka’s comments elicited anger from the ‘Obidients’, especially on social media platforms.

“Wole Soyinka, an elder statesman is angrier about Datti’s Response to the fraudulent elections than the fraudulent elections itself. Some Elders are overrated,” reads one of the tweets.

“Don’t forget Wole Soyinka was one of those people that foisted Buhari on us. He criticized GEJ so much and even likened him to King Nebuchadnezzar. He also allegedly called his wife Hippotamus in 2013. When they try to gag you with respect to our elders, show them this tweet,” reads another tweet.

OBIDIENTS HAVE COMMITTED TO REJECT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM’

In a statement on earlier today, tne Nobel lauret said Obidients have worn their refusal to accept constructive criticism as a badge of honour.

He maintained that the LP was sowing seeds of fascism and generating a climate of fear.

Soyinka asked the LP supporters to refrain from attacking and embrace fair hearing in situations of conflict.

“It would appear that a record discharge of toxic sludge from our notorious smut factory is currently clogging the streets and sewers of the Republic of Liars. It goes to prove the point that provoked the avalanche EXACTLY! The seeds of incipient fascism in the political arena have evidently matured. A climate of fear is being generated,” Soyinka said.

“The refusal to entertain corrective criticism, even differing perspectives of the same position has become a badge of honour and certificate of commitment.

“What is at stake, ultimately is – Truth, and at a most elementary level of social regulation: when you are party to a conflict, you do not attempt to intimidate the arbiter, attempt to dictate the outcome, or impugn, without credible cause, his or her neutrality even before hearing has commenced. That is a ground rule of just proceeding. Short of this, Truth remains permanently elusive.

“The ensuing cacophony has been truly bewildering. It strikes me as a possible ploy to smother recent provocations by other, far more trenchant issues, such as revelations of declarations of a religious war.