Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka stated on Tuesday during a Channels Teelevision programme: ‘Channels Book Club’ that Nigeria wonldn't have survived another four years under Former President Goodluck Jonathan Ebele, adding to the adding that the continuous revelation of looted funds meant for
procurement of arms for the armed forces justifies his position that the
country was being run aground by the last administration.
He also said that he ha sno regeret giving President Buhari his full support during his campaign.
he further explained that he used to have a bad impression whom he described as “devil for whom in my calculation, no spoon existed long enough to justify the risk even of an impromptu snack,” but some of his friends and trusted companions convinced electioneering period that Buhari has changed, adding that the
highhandedness that plagued his military rule in the 80s cannot be
repeated now.
He said “We were left with two credible contestants in terms
of catchment area for the nation. We had reached, in my view, the
bottom. I became convinced that if this country underwent four more
years under President Jonathan, the country would run aground
completely. I looked at the record and said this cannot go on, this has
to stop.
“Then I looked at this man who had contested elections three times
before and said he would not contest anymore and then decided to throw
his hat in the ring. I talked to people and I said do you know what
you’re doing?
“And
after weighing all the options, I said let’s try a new one. And since
in electoral terms, he was the one, I guardedly, with reservations,
announced that no, not a continuation under Jonathan.
“And so very
reluctantly, I want this on record, because I made it quite clear, I
weighed the two of them and I said this nation stands a better chance
under Buhari. And what has been coming out now? Look at all that has
been coming out? Look at the figures which virtually hammer one into the
ground just the sheer enormity of the robbery of this nation that is
getting exposed progressively. It shows that we did not make a bad
choice.”
On Buhari’s six months in office, the Nobel Laureate
said, “Not totally but Buhari has proven that there is such a thing as a
born again democrat.”
He called on the government to meet with pro-Biafran agitators so as to understand their problem and know how to tackle it.
The
playwright said the government should convoke a fresh National
Conference which would address the feelings of pro-Biafran elements.
He further stated that there was nothing evil about secession, noting that Nigeria even ceded the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroun.
“So,
let us sit down, let us talk once again about restructuring the nation
in a way that no one will want to leave. The agitations, for me, are not
surprising. It was expected that it would happen sooner or later.
“So,
I am referring to a genuine and authentic National Conference. Not like
the one that former President Olusegun Obasanjo called which was meant
to try to perpetuate himself in office.
“The one under Jonathan
was extensive; it covered lots and lots of ground. It proposed some
far-reaching changes, not far-reaching for me, but far-reaching. It is
about time we went back to efforts like that; genuine ones like that,”
Soyinka stated.
Source: Daily Post News
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