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Toast to Soyinka by Wole Olaoye

Published

8 months ago

July 14, 2024

Eric

Soyinka is 90! Our very own teacher, playwright, poet, novelist, hunter, philosopher, rebel, musician, essayist, literary stylist, cultural beacon, social engineer and public intellectual has defied all odds to breast the tape of his 90th year.

If you ask, what’s in a number, you may attract the riposte, what’s NOT in a number. In their own esoteric way, numerologists break 90 into 9 and 0 and postulate that Number 9 brings us the energies of completion, universal love, inner-wisdom, and compassion while 0 adds its own vibrations of eternity and infinity – a reminder that we have access to infinite resources within ourselves when we remain connected to our spiritual essence.

A little over 50 years ago, many people who analysed his trajectory as an activist of the ‘talk-and-do’ hue, swore that the young Soyinka was destined to die young without even the remote possibility of having a nice-looking corpse. But whoever is monitoring when the crab goes to bed should prepare for a long vigil because the crab does not go to bed early (and the crab is Soyinka’s zodiac sign)!

Ninety years is special, culturally, spiritually and commemoratively. It is called the nonagintennial or granite anniversary. There are only about 22 million nonagenarians in existence, constituting 0.28 percent of the global population of 8.1 billion people. It is the privileged club of the anointed, those fated to be among the last set to tell the story of their generation — and Soyinka’s generation of intellectual elites was our golden generation.

It is not given to many people to be of abiding relevance to their country as Soyinka has been for six decades. By the time my path crossed that of Soyinka at the University of Ife in the 70s, he had already achieved fame (his foes will say, notoriety) and was a highly sought academic. I wasn’t a spring chicken myself having cut my teeth in journalism at DRUM Publications before returning to school.

As president of the students’ union, I knew that I needed the collaboration of those who had seen it all before and who would be there as trusted allies if things turned awry. In that sense, Soyinka was an uncommon counsellor and backbone. It was from him that I learnt that what matters in life is not the ‘ariwo ojà’, but the nobility of your convictions and the courage with which you pursue your ideals using all your talents, no matter the odds. He shares that honour in my life with his cousin, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Dr. Tai Solarin and Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

I pity those who, because of a disagreement over political perspectives, think that they can diminish Soyinka’s stature as a global intellectual. Great as the invention of social media is, it has, sadly been turned into a lynching machine by those that Nelson Ottah, (one of those who taught me how to chew the journalistic cud) would have described as “intellectual piccaninnies”.

Former presidential aspirant, Kingsley Moghalu has this to say on the matter: “Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka is a principled fighter for justice in our country and around the world. He is a phenomenon that unlettered and uncultured people may not fully understand in an age of lazy social media in which many don’t read or think deep.”

In 2014 when he turned 80, I invoked Providence to spare our elderly friend and pathfinder for many more years, especially as he still looked so comely and strong. In many ways, he is “a tree that makes a forest”, as I titled my column in Daily Trust at the time (https://dailytrust.com/kongi-a-tree-that-makes-a-forest/) In just one more decade, if the Heavens permit, we’ll be gathered to usher him into the club of centenarians. Happy birthday, Prof!

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Fubara Bows to Pressure, Invites Pro-Wike awmakers to Peace Meeting

Published

4 days ago

March 10, 2025

Eric

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara has extended an olive branch to lawmakers loyal to his rival, Nyesome Wike.

The governor invited the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly members to a peace meeting, following the Supreme Court’s judgement on the state’s political unrest.

The invitation was made through a letter from Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Secretary to the State Government, to Speaker Martins Amaewhule.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday at 10 am at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

The agenda includes addressing lingering issues, presenting the 2025 state budget, and discussing payment of lawmakers’ allowances.

The letter read: “I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5th March 2025 to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court Judgment, and has therefore directed me to invite you and your colleagues -the Honourable members of Rivers State House of Assembly, to a meeting to discuss:-

“Provision of a befitting space for the Assembly’s sittings. Payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members. Presentation of Budget and sundry matters;

“Any other matter(s), as may be necessary, to chart the way forward in the best interest of the State. Sequel to the above, I hereby humbly invite the Rt. Hon. Speaker, and all the Rivers State House of Assembly members to a meeting with the Governor as follows.”

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Rivers Lawmaker Rejects Fubara’s Invitation for Peace Meeting

Published

4 days ago

March 10, 2025

Eric

A member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Lolo Isaiah Opuende, has dismissed an invitation from Governor Siminialayi Fubara for a crucial meeting at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Monday.

In an online video, Opuende stated that it was time for the governor to “dey his dey” (be on his own) while the lawmakers would do the same.

Representing Akuku-Toru Constituency 2, Opuende recalled that when the political crisis began, their principal had warned that a time would come for both sides to go their separate ways.

He also questioned the mode of invitation transmission, arguing that it is not feasible for lawmakers to honor the governor’s request.

“How can you write a letter for the House of Assembly and put it on social media and expect us to come? The governor should write us the proper way,” he insisted.

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Abacha Family Slams Babangida, Says Book a ‘Revisionist Narratives’, Distortion of Facts

Published

4 days ago

March 10, 2025

Eric

The family of the late General Sani Abacha has rebuffed claims made by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, that the late Abacha was responsible for the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

In his recently launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, Babangida expressed regret over the annulment, acknowledging that the Social Democratic Party’s candidate, MKO Abiola, won the election.

Describing the annulment as an “accident of history,” IBB blamed military officers led by Abacha, who was then his Chief of Defence Staff, for the controversial decision, alleging that it was done “without his permission.”

Reacting in a Sunday statement signed by his son, Mohammed Abacha, the late dictator’s family dismissed IBB’s claims, insisting that Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time of the annulment.

The family accused Babangida of attempting to distort historical facts and shift blame.

“The decision to annul the election was made under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for the actions of his government,” the statement read.

“Any attempt to shift this blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts. For years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the history of that critical period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.”

The Abacha family also urged Nigerians to be cautious of what they termed “revisionist narratives” intended to manipulate public perception for political gain.

“We urge Nigerians to be wary of revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons.

“The memory of our late father and leader, General Sani Abacha, must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible,” the statement continued.

In conclusion, the family slammed Babangida’s autobiography for failing to present an honest account of events, stating, “We regret that A Journey in Service missed the opportunity and failed to make history as a truthful and objective account of past events.

“As one public commentator aptly put it, honesty, sincerity, and integrity are virtues not commonly associated with the author.”

Source: Newspoint