Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has described as ‘abominable distractions,’ statement by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Dr Austin Tam-George, that the state would demand refund from him (Soyinka) if he collected cash from the N82 million allegedly spent by immediate-past Governor, Rotimi Amaechi on a dinner to honour him.
Soyinka, who reacted in a statement on Wednesday night, said it has never been his business to probe into the “catering and logistical implications” of the hundreds of recognitions he had enjoyed worldwide and wondered why the Ameachi gesture has become an issue under the ‘insecure’ incumbent of the Rivers State government lodge.
Although he said the allegation has made him saddened and ‘truly despair”, he added that he was indifferent to it.
Soyinka in the statement entitled, “Those who flounder in the sewage of corruption,” said: “This morning, I saw only the headlines in one or two print media regarding the 80th Birthday dinner to which I was hosted by the former governor of Rivers State, the Honorable Rotimi Amaechi, now Minister of Transportation. I ignored them. It was not, and remains not my business to probe into the catering and logistical implications of the hundreds of institutions and governments all over the world to whom I acknowledge an immense debt of unsolicited recognition over the years.
“Since then however, I have learnt of some unsavory statements by the insecure incumbent of the Rivers State government Lodge. These included a loose invitation to anti-crime agencies to investigate the potential crime of being honoured through any occasion. The unprecedented call by this governor is prescient of a warning I recounted in my recent pamphlet publication THE REPUBLIC OF LIARS, and was taken from my address to an anti-corruption global conference that took place in Tunisia two years ago. Those words were: CORRUPTION STRIKES BACK. In this ongoing instance, that expression translates most vividly as “Those who are neck deep in the sewage of corruption ensure that they splatter sewage in all possible and improbable directions.”
“I do however fully support the Wikeleaks call for multi-directional probes. I recommend further that he involve the services of INTERPOL to guarantee its extension to all international organisations and governments to whom I owe uncountable events of recognition – including birthday luncheons, dinners, cultural receptions and events of real, fictitious, or simply opportunistic flavoring – to which I have submitted myself.
“The descent to this present level of abominable distractions makes one truly despair. It is one that even I did not envisage when I warned – CORRUPTION STRIKES BACK! Whether it brings honour or dishonour to the nation is another matter – I am saddened, but indifferent.
“EFCC and company – over to you! You all know where I live,” noted The Nobel laureate. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Unfortunately, even respected personalities see nothing wrong in a state (not federal government) spending eighty two million naira for hosting him to dinner. I expected him to show surprise at the amount in question.
ReplyDeleteI pray that the coming generation will still have hope in those we should be looking up to.
This most not be the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka speaking, it most be impersonation, if not, shame on him for loosing his respect by robbing himself in the oil of corruption in light of Rotimi Amaechi...
ReplyDeleteMy friend, you should have stayed in class and took your time to study well and learn the fundamentals of English language. You can't even spell the most basic words right and your grammar is awful. Responding to your point, you are clearly biased in your view and are of miniature intelligence to address national issues which are clearly beyond your feeble mind.
DeleteYet without morale, you should right?
Delete@Alan,Iam totally disappointed in your comment and reasonings,so u mean it is justifiable for a state to host a single person to a lunch with 82million?haba,dis is totally bad,thank God he didn'tdenied the amount and Wike didn't lie.pls if u are dreaming wake up to live.
DeleteMy friend, try to be guarded by your utterances. Will you ask your host how much he spends in hosting you before honouring the invitation? If there is a rot in the system, then the players should hold one another accountable.As events are unfolding, I am watching.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame, Wole...What a big shame!!!
ReplyDeleteFinally, Nigeria is finished... will the EFCC pick him and Rotimi Amaechi up? I doubt...
Indeed, we are finished. One who rollicks with corrupt people is corrupt indeed. The old wise saying ..."show me your friends and I will tell you who you are" is quite apt here. The conscience of this country died after Gani Fawehinmi died. Wole Soyinka! How are the mighty fallen...
DeleteTHIS GUY IS SAYING PEOPLE HOST HIM ALL OVER THE WORLD...HE IS A GLOBAL VIP
ReplyDeleteHOW DO YOU EXPECT THE NOBEL LAUREATE TO KNOW HOW MUCH WAS USED TO HOST HIM???
THIS IS ABSURDITY WALKING ON HIS HEAD IN NIGERIA...
THIS GUY IS SAYING PEOPLE HOST HIM ALL OVER THE WORLD...HE IS A GLOBAL VIP
ReplyDeleteHOW DO YOU EXPECT THE NOBEL LAUREATE TO KNOW HOW MUCH WAS USED TO HOST HIM???
THIS IS ABSURDITY WALKING ON HIS HEAD IN NIGERIA...
Prof., all the big big grammar you've blown here won't help! When you started cavorting with Amaechi, I must confess that I felt very disappointed, & indeed lost quite some of the hitherto respect I had for you. I agree with you that you can't go asking everyone that wants to host, and/or honour you, the cost-implications of same. However, considering your professed aversion for profligacy with public funds, by public servants, the least expected of you would have been to express surprise at the amount of public funds expended at such event. Knowing you, by your original antecedents, you'd have used the same big big grammar to condemn any other public official who isn't close to you. Your media spat with Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola readily comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteThe present government is there running roughshod over operatives (& their sympathizers) of the immediate-past government, using the EFCC, while their own are walking around, without molestation. Particularly your friend, Rotimi (I wonder where a full-blooded Ikwere man got that name from) Amaechi, who has failed, and/or neglected to answer to an investigative panel that unmasked huge misappropriation of funds by the government he headed.
Prof., you're no longer the unbiased, and objective conscience of our dear country, that we used to know. What a pity!
It's a shame that all of you that made comments before me on this matter just ASSUMED that the so called 85M is true!!!These figures are NOT TRUE. It's just another propaganda!!!to distract us. This is how FFK carried the matter of PMB certificate with so much energy, that we almost believe him. These people are irritating liars. Very soon their tunes will change
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS A FOOLOSH CASE OF A PROPHET NOT VALUED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE...
ReplyDeletePROF SOYINKA HE IS A NOBEL LAUREATE & GLOBAL VIP..HE CAN VISIT ANYONE ,ANYWHERE HE LIKES ... DURING POPE FRANCIS LAST VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES, HE VISITED A PRISON YEAR AND HUG SOME INMATES...
FYI..Prof Soyinka's works are read in American, European & Australian universities..many of his works have been translated from English to other languages..And will continue to be used after his life time..
DOES BUHARI, OBJ, IBB, DANJUMA, TINUMBU, DANGOTE, JONATHAN, SHAGARI, GOWON, ETC has any works to help humanity???????
THIS IS A FOOLOSH CASE OF A PROPHET NOT VALUED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE...
ReplyDeletePROF SOYINKA HE IS A NOBEL LAUREATE & GLOBAL VIP..HE CAN VISIT ANYONE ,ANYWHERE HE LIKES ... DURING POPE FRANCIS LAST VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES, HE VISITED A PRISON YEAR AND HUG SOME INMATES...
FYI..Prof Soyinka's works are read in American, European & Australian universities..many of his works have been translated from English to other languages..And will continue to be used after his life time..
DOES BUHARI, OBJ, IBB, DANJUMA, TINUMBU, DANGOTE, JONATHAN, SHAGARI, GOWON, ETC has any works to help humanity???????
I respect WOLE SOYINKA n wud still. It is not his responsibility to probe into d catering n logistics implication as a host.
ReplyDeleteAll your negative impression spring a pendulum of sentiment. Your inability to enter into the class of Wole Soyinka brings out the inferior nature you are made of which stems from your statement that the man should not blow grammar. What do you expect him to blow, should he blow German? It is very unfortunate that most of you negative commentators will do worse if saddled with the responsibility of leadership. You expect the man to madly probe into all expenses that go into his honour. Ruben Abati was an ardent persecutor of the government but completely got muted on his invitation to join them in the conference of corruption. Prof. Soyinka is a literary icon of a global repute and you don't expect him to operate below his divinely endowed innate strength. It is not everyone who fits into this divine grace and that should not call for any inglorious envy.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure anyone is envious of your god - Wole Soyinka. Rather, most people are sad that this hitherto moral conscience of the society (or so he had been pretending to be) has been riding on the tide of corruption with characters like Rotimi Amaechi. Are you not alarmed that a whole N85m was spent to host him? Do you know how many small scale businesses this can help to start?
DeleteOle soyinka. So in this hard and pressing time, if our corrupt politician uses 1billion entertain u, there is nothing wrong with it. I have always known that you are not upright as you make people believe because on morality ground, history is against you in appointment. Remember the military era
ReplyDeleteWe should forget VOCABULARY. THe question is how much was he given as a take home in a state where people have no ordinary gari to eat.
ReplyDeleteWike and his team are only looking for who will support them to rubbish some notable Nigerians shame on them
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm.it seems d Prof does not understand English anymore ,the writer said dey will enquire if he collect part of d money as cash and not d amount is d matter.It so alarming dat our Prof is not surprised at d amount sef,82m? for lunch?well,PMB is spending more Dan dat everyday now,it is good and marvelous in APC and PMB eyes.
ReplyDeleteThis cannot be lie as d Prof couldn't deny neither Rotimi himself.i am also happy Wike ddidn't lie also.
We await d rreport of d investigation. Meanwhile ,Prof Wole Soyinka should have been more surprised at d amount sa.
"that the state would demand refund from him (Soyinka) if he collected cash from the N82 million allegedly spent by immediate-past Governor, Rotimi Amaechi on a dinner to honour him"
ReplyDeleteThis is the bone of contention. It is an affront on the image and person of Prof Soyinka. Imagine when someone tries to drag your name into the mud? Would you first of all, raise alarm over the alleged amount spent or you would defend your name?
Somebody invited you to come and wine and dine with him .Are u expecting the host to ask how much he bought a bottle of beer he used to entertain him.All of you commenting negatively about Wole Soyinka are fools and you never go to school of thought.
ReplyDeleteThose of you who are commenting negatively on this issue seems to be biased. I can see that you people do not think as every human beign should, before responding to issues, but however, the opposite is the case, will advise you you guys to make a u turn and do the needful to save yourselves of further emberasment and shame. Always think before you speak, food for thought.
ReplyDeleteWailing wailers,i guess Wike boys full this forum,somebody in his idiotic sentimental fray asked why Ekwere man be named Rotimi Amaechi?u ppl can see level n calibre of ppl commenting on prof,for the unbiased mind i ll advise to just leave disgruntled element alone who can never see anything good in other tribe except wht they do.
ReplyDeleteYou need to understand the issue here, he is been called for questioning to know if he was given any part of the money which he has not denied in his statement.
ReplyDeleteCan we denerate further than this?
ReplyDeleteCan we fall lower than this level?
Is there any lower level than we are currently experiencing?
Can we still find any sane person who will not court appearance of corruption, neither support it perpetrator, nor defend them?
Can we see leader or an elderly person will honestly say"I am very sorry" if he/she is at fault for the younger generation to emulate?
Can a young person will not blindly trust, believe or defend his mentor or role model?
Can we find a young man/woman who will look behond now and challenge the status quo?
Can we, as a nation, look unto God instead of fallible man for solutions to our many problems?
Can we, my people, can we?
Let us think on these.
Nigerians we are a strange and difficult lot. The accusers have not even done their investigation to find out if he was given any of that money and they are whipping up unnecessary sentiments and Nigerians have started mud slinging and name calling. It is clear that the motive of the Wike led govt is borne out of bad blood please let them go and ask Amaechi how he spent the hosting money and leave the Guest alone.
ReplyDelete