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Tag: Wole Soyinka

  • Wole Soyinka backs Obasanjo’s claims, says Nigeria is close to extinction

    Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has backed claims made by former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, that Nigeria is more divided under President Muhammadu Buhari than ever before.

    Soyinka made his stance known in a statement released on Tuesday titled, “Between ‘Dividers-in-chief’ and Dividers-in-law,”.

    He said although he was not a fan of Obasanjo, he supports the duty of calling attention to the issues of the nation

    “Nonetheless, I embrace the responsibility of calling attention to any accurate reading of this nation from whatever source, as a contraption teetering on the very edge of total collapse.

    “We are close to extinction as viable comity of peoples, supposedly bound together under an equitable set of protocols of co-habitation, capable of producing its own means of existence, and devoid of a culture of sectarian privilege and will to dominate.” The Prof. said

    The Presidency had in a swift rebuttal of Obasanjo’s allegations, insisted that Buhari has continued to promote nation-building and the unity of Nigeria.

  • Wole Soyinka Rejects New NBC Code on Arts

    Wole Soyinka Rejects New NBC Code on Arts

    Nigeria’s Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has kicked against the sixth National Broadcast Code recently released by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), saying it will strangulate the producers of artworks.

    In a statement Tuesday, the novelist said the federal government was declaring war against the arts and producers of art works.

    “I think it is about time the government comes out openly and admits that it has declared war against the arts and its producers, instead of its present tactics of piecemeal attrition.

    “Just when we were reeling from the action of the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports in joining hands with book pirates by providing a free-loading portal for the works of Nigerian authors, among others, along comes a new regulatory hit against the cinema and video enterprise, and its operators,” he said.

    The renowned writer and author of many first-rate books however commended the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission for promptly responding to complaints by Nigerian authors on the threat to their copyright.

    While noting that some of the amendments are well-intentioned, Soyinka stated the code is the equivalent of a knee to the neck of the creative industry and carries the potential of economic sabotage.

    “And now it is the turn of a sister industry to be placed under siege! I have just read excerpts of the newly proposed NBC broadcasting code and become aware of some potentially dangerous aspects of the code.

    “Whilst one concedes that, I shudder to imagine unintended consequences such as backhanded censorship in the age of digital media. These restrict intellectual property rights and their scope of exploitation with whomsoever one chooses to collaborate,” he said

  • I don’t believe Buhari is in charge in Aso Rock- Wole Soyinka

    I don’t believe Buhari is in charge in Aso Rock- Wole Soyinka

    Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, says he does not believe that the President, Muhammadu Buhari, is in charge of affairs in the country.

    Speaking on Thursday during an interview on PlusTv Africa, the renowned writer said the answer to the nation’s problem is decentralisation, adding that there’s a need for the people to be historically conscious.

    Soyinka was reacting to an open letter written by Umar Dangiwa, retired colonel and former military administrator of Kaduna, to Buhari over the president’s knack for appointing people from his section of the country into office.

    “First of all, I was appalled by the silence that followed this revelation. I think those who are responsible for this criminal lopsidedness should be punished. It is not sufficient just to discuss it. It’s criminal,” Soyinka said.

    “I have said this before. I don’t believe there is really anybody in charge in Aso Rock. I’m sorry to say this. I’ve been studying the trend over the past year and a half and I believe this president is not in charge of this nation, in so many aspects and directions. I’m convinced he’s not really and totally with it.

    “It’s so serious. It is not the fact alone, we know the history of this. We know what it has caused the nation and we know it isn’t over yet. And you say are launching an enquiry. That’s not enough. This man is not in charge.”