Wole Soyinka, the Nobel laureate, says he is no longer
certain if he still believes in Nigeria.
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.”
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