Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has dismissed calls for him to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying he will speak when he feels it is necessary.
The renowned playwright, who had previously indicated he would evaluate Tinubu’s government after one year in office, said he was not bound by any timeline.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, yesterday, Soyinka emphasised that he would only offer his evaluation when he deemed it necessary and had substantive observations to share, dismissing the notion that he should adhere to a pre-determined timeline, such as the one-year of Tinubu’s presidency.
“People should stop trying to work on my timetable for me. I had not swallowed an alarm clock. I don’t see why I should put my alarm on and say: ‘One year has passed, now, I must make an assessment’ if there is nothing I feel like talking about and if I am busy elsewhere.”
Soyinka visited Tinubu in Lagos in December 2023, where he stated that he would reserve his comments on the administration until May 2024.
With critics blaming Tinubu’s government for economic hardship, rising inflation and a high cost of living, many expected Soyinka to weigh in on the issues.
However, he insisted that evaluating a government should be a collective duty, noting the contributions of voices, like Femi Falana, Olusegun Baiyewu and Omoyele Sowore in critiquing the administration.
“This business of ‘you haven’t come to do this’, I don’t understand it. Other people are doing the same; this is a collective effort. The Falanas speak consistently. The Baiyewus speak consistently. The Sowores come out and try to lead demonstrations. It’s a collective effort.
“The one year is up, which means you have a right and I have a responsibility to respond when you call me on certain issues. But if you are saying that I would call a press conference and say: ‘One year is up, let us now make an assessment. The only question I’d ask you is: ‘Did I do that with Jonathan? Did I do that with Buhari? Did I do that with Obasanjo?’ So, why is it expected of me?
“All it means is that one year is up. If I am around, and you want to get hold of me, I would speak. That’s all that statement meant.”
Soyinka reiterated that he would speak at his pace and not because of external pressure.
The Guardian
