Wole Soyinka denies tribute to Tinubu, says it’s concocted

Image: Professor Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has denied a report attributed to him showering encomiums on the leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress [APC] and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu.

The report had quoted Soyinka as admiring the former governor’s intellectual dexterity and political sacrifice for “saving Nigeria from the danger of falling into one party state”.

Professor Soyinka, however, in an e-mail sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, refuted the entire report, saying he had never said what was attributed to him.

He said: “It is difficult to prescribe for the sort of mind that finds itself so inadequate that it must foist its opinions on others, and with such confident sense of impunity. Kindly assist me in letting the public know that I am not in anyway connected with the publication that has just been forwarded to me…

“I can only yet again recommend my recent “occasional” publication – The Republic of Liars – to the public as a cautionary tract, while the growing population of victims await the routine descent of the full operational wrath of Internet policing on all impudent impersonators,” Mr. Soyinka said

Below are the excerpts of the tributary:

I do not admire Tinubu because he is a saint. I do not admire Tinubu because he is from the south. I do not admire Tinubu because he is a Yoruba. If I want saints, I will proceed to heaven not on earth. Every human is fallible. I admire Tinubu because; He saved Nigeria from the danger of falling into “one party state. 

He has nurtured many renowned National successors. He listened to the voice of the masses to surrender his personal ambition at the most critical moment. He strategically terminated PDP 60 years life span in 16 years.

The robust critic and critique we are enjoying today is because Tinubu aligned himself to the masses to return the power to them. Tinubu has the option of joining the PDP elites to hold us hostage for another decade but he gave his all to the masses to dethrone the elites.

Political juveniles believed that APC won because of the votes were from the North. No!!!

APC victory was cemented the day PMB and Asiwaju resolved to work together. Asiwaju and PMB almost became a Nomadic by visiting every human that can help midwife Nigeria salvation. 

Those Nomadic Almajiri walk later brought salvation to us. God willing, PMB is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Anybody, any cabal, any Viju milk activist, attempting to humiliate Asiwaju must have me to contend with.

An average PDP man is sad with Asiwaju because he brought them to their knee. If anyone thinks that bringing down Asiwaju is his project, that mission will not only crash but it will boomerang. 

Don’t tell me he is overbearing; your “under-bearing” mentors were nowhere to be found when this Country was lying critically at the intensive care of the universe.

Recall my first line, Asiwaju is not a saint. Stop demonizing what you admire out of envy. Even your mentors admire him.

He owns Lagos! I hear you! Ask your grandfather and parents how they acquired your so called “family land”. Is it God that allocated it to them?

You are terrorizing your neighbours and village with your kpof-kpof kobo yet you criticise a man that is naturally addicted to technocrats irrespective of their tribe or Religion.

Hmmmmm. I don talk am ooo, Asiwaju is not a political office holder oooo. Please let him be. He is evil, I agree, but we need more of him than your saintly specie.

Dear Asiwaju, the gentle stride of a tiger is not a symbol of cowardice”.

Prof Wole Soyinka

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