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Wole Soyinka: The Man Who Lives Against Oppression at 90

Published

1 year ago

July 14, 2024

Eric

By Lekan Alabi

No doubt, Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka is a big elephant in a forest of hope to generations of men and women across the globe. The part of the elephant you touch depends on what he stands for and against in a social political setting. To the pre-colonial generation, Soyinka “was anti-elitism and anti-colonial mentality,” with a deliberate message against a cultural reorientation and indoctrination that lazy minds largely tag as cultism. To the post-colonial generation, Soyinka was a torn in the flesh of pseudo-democratic rulers, military dictators and their civilian collaborators. To the generation of the apartheid regimes, Soyinka deployed all his God-given gifts against these regimes that socialised and related to others on the basis of skin colour. The whole essence of Soyinka, right from the Ake era till date is justice and humanity.

In celebrating Soyinka at 90, it will not serve any useful purpose to regurgitate Soyinka’s odyssey, which has been over-flogged in books, seminars, plays, music, lectures, symposia and literary criticism by cultural activists, policy makers, scholars and students alike.

“The Mystery Gunman,” through his roles in history, particularly in the political turmoil of the defunct Western Region of Nigeria, in the First Republic, which resulted in Operation Wetie that enveloped the West, displayed an uncommon courage against the fascistic tendency of the political class. The singular act of demystification of the instrument of state, created young agitators against the election riggings and riggers, political violence and repression.

It is historically correct to state that Soyinka is a man of conscience who sees humanity as one without a toga of ethnic colouration. This position was noticeable during the Nigerian Civil War. While some revered scholars became megaphones of the war, Soyinka took to the path of humanity and decency by rigorously campaigning against the war mongers on both sides, which led to his incarceration by the military junta. Of course, the unusual life threatening but noble venture encouraged his followers of the possibility of another force/movement which mobilised against the war.

It is not a hyperbole to call Soyinka the Pride of Africa, as he has been leading from the front against the abuse of power, military dictatorships and ‘sit tightism’ of African rulers, alongside human rights abuses, and the struggle against racial discriminations in some African countries. This service to humanity has led to generations of the old and young, who look up to him as their role model.

It is important to state that Soyinka was the arrowhead of the struggle against the liquidation of the military dictatorship in Nigeria. He took the de-annulment of the 12 June 1993 election to the global limelight, with all the risks involved. No wonder that Henry Louis Gates, jnr. says that, “If the spirit of African democracy has a voice and a face, they belong to Wole Soyinka.” I couldn’t agree more.

His scholarly exploits in literature was crowned in 1986 when he became the first African Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. The significance of this award was an upsurge of youths and young persons in Nigeria who developed the love for literature, human rights activism and the campaign for an open society.

The institutionalisation of the essence of Wole Soyinka is the best way to appreciate his sacrifice for a just cause on earth. It is highly commendable to note that the promoters of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, among other public-spirited organisations taking on the identity of the man of all seasons, are paying the debt on our behalf.

At 90, the son of “Wild Christian” stands tall, fit as a fiddle, and lives the life of a colossal crusader against oppression in any part of the world.

Lekan Alabi is a legal practitioner and consultant.

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Peter Obi, Only Life in ADC, Says Fayose

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Eric

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, says the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, is the only life in the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

Fayose made this statement on Friday while fielding questions in an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television.

He also said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is technically no more, adding that it is dead.

The former governor equally said that Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, should not be dragged into the woes of the PDP.

He said: “Obi is the only life in ADC; all other people in ADC are semi-existent. If Obi had remained in Labour Party or has gone to Accord Party, he is the only life there. All the other people there, they are not existing. They are old-forces.

“Openly, I supported Tinubu in 2023. I didn’t hide it. Till now I’m still there. I don’t jump. I have said it to you I’m not a member of APC and I will never be.”

DailyPost

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More Troubles for Ahmed Farouk: Dangote Drags Ex-NMDPRA Boss to EFCC over Corruption Claims

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

Eric

The Chairman of Dangote Industries, Aliko Dangote, through his legal representative, has filed a formal corruption petition against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

This was disclosed in a statement made available to our correspondent by the Dangote Group media team on Friday.

Recall that Dangote had earlier petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate Ahmed for allegedly spending $5 million on his children’s secondary education in Switzerland. He withdrew the petition a few days ago, even as the ICPC vowed to continue with its investigation.

The statement on Friday said Dangote’s petition to the EFCC followed “The withdrawal of the same petition from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, a strategic decision aimed at accelerating the prosecution process.”

In the petition, signed by Lead Counsel Dr O.J. Onoja, Dangote urged the EFCC to investigate allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment against Ahmed, and to prosecute him if found culpable.

The petition further stated that Dangote would provide evidence to substantiate claims of financial misconduct and impunity.

“We make bold to state that the commission is strategically positioned, along with sister agencies, to prosecute financial crimes and corruption-related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the courts do not hesitate to punish offenders. See Lawan v. F.R.N (2024) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1953) 501 and Shema v. F.R.N. (2018) 9 NWLR (Pt.1624) 337,” the petition read.

Onoja further urged the commission, under the leadership of Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, “To investigate the complaint of abuse of office and corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly prosecute him if found wanting.”

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How Fubara’s Impeachment Moves Will Collapse – Sam Amadi

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

Eric

Former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Sam Amadi, has identified due judicial process as Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s strongest safeguard against impeachment in Rivers State.

He specifically stated that the judicial phase of the process remains Fubara’s “saving grace,” as it is likely to shield him from impeachment.

Amadi said the impeachment process hinges largely on the appointment of an investigative panel by the state’s Chief Judge, describing it as the “anchor point” of the entire procedure.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday, Amadi noted that Governor Fubara’s influence over the judicial process gives him significant leverage, especially given what he described as the weak legal basis of the impeachment allegations.

He argued that the grounds being advanced against the governor do not amount to gross misconduct, stressing that an independent panel made up of individuals of integrity would likely reach the conclusion that Fubara has committed no impeachable offence since the end of emergency rule in the state.

He said: “Now the main anchor for the impeachment procedure is the appointment by the Chief Judge of the state of those investigators. That is really, really the anchor point. If you don’t get there, you are gone.

“So what leverage does he have? Of course, he removed the chief judge, everything has been politics, and I don’t blame him. He knows the game against himself. He appointed a chief judge that we think would be more amenable to him, and again, because also the grounds for his impeachment are not legally overwhelming, to say the least, some would say it’s really trash. But the judge will be the saving point here, because he will appoint people who may not, at least by definition, constitutionally, people of integrity, who are not politically partisan.

“So they will look at the lens and say, has this governor, since the end of emergency rule, done anything that amounts to gross misconduct, even though the Supreme Court has said gross misconduct is in the eye of the beholder. But here this men of integrity would look at the lens and say, what really is the big deal here? What has this governor done that’s suffering six months’ incarceration, if you like, politically, and then coming back hasn’t done anything.

“So this will be the saving… They will say, we don’t think this guy has done anything to warrant impeachment. I think the least saving grace will be the judicial side, where he has more leverage, and whose definitive proclamation by via the investigators who say no guilt. And the law says, as Nikki Tobi rightly put it, he says “they don’t have two options, just one of two proven: not proven. If they say not proven that is dead. If they say proven, then straight to the process of impeachment.” So that, I think, is really where we are here, and that’s a saving grace for him.”