Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, is set to launch a new book which he says will chronicle past misdeeds of the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
Speaking as a guest of honour at a gala dinner and award night hosted by the federal ministry of information and culture as part of programmes of the 67th World Congress of the International Press Institute (IPI), Soyinka said he would unveil the book on July 4, 2018 where he articulates his claims and also makes a call on the need for the younger generation to take over power in the country.
He said the former president is the least worthy of former heads of state to champion the political recovery process of the nation”.
“I have brought out a publication which title is in Latin but it means “Who watches the Watchmen.
“That publication is coming out simply because I will like to see new blood in government in this nation.
“I think this corrupt and hypocritical geriatrics should stop recycling themselves.
“They should stop trying to co-opt their former cronies to take over the reins of governance in this country.
“On July 4 at Freedom Park in Lagos, the pamphlet will be unveiled and will confront Obasanjo with his crimes of the past which incidentally are not being newly articulated.
“I say again that people are their own greatest enemies, because they forget very fast. Obasanjo is the greatest hypocritical leader this nation has ever produced,” he said.
Soyinka also used the occasion to debunk claims that he has something against the late military head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha.
The Nobel Laureate who was responding to a question on why he would always display open hatred for Abacha declared: “You say I don’t leave Abacha alone even after death, it is not true.
“If I am walking through the street, and I see a structure raised in honour of a torturer, a murderer and a thief so recognised by the entire world that we are still chasing his loots all over the world, I cannot keep quiet.
“If I see a structure or monument in honour of that person, I have the responsibility to tell whoever did so that you cannot be serious with fighting corruption,” he said.
Thereafter, he saluted Nigerian journalists for bringing IPI congress to the country for the first time stressing that the timing was remarkable.
“The timing is remarkable in the sense that IPI is being hosted by a nation whose current president, Muhammadu Buhari, is somebody I refer to as born again democrat.
“Not so long ago, as a military leader, he came out openly that he will tamper with the press freedom and he matched his words with deeds.
“He jailed a couple of journalists for sticking to the ethics of their profession.
“Here you are today, that same president is now actually trying very hard and most successfully to respect the freedom of expression.
“It goes to show that all is not lost in this nation,” he said
Soyinka rated the Buhari administration 55 per cent in press freedom and freedom of speech.
To improve on the rating, he suggested elimination of “secret, subtle and self censorship” as well as often submission to pressure.
“For instance, we cannot continue to hide under the subtle threat of – do not heat up the polity- even when we know that the polity deserved not just to be heated up, but to be fired”.
“If we disregard that, which is a grey area, I am optimistic that we will in a couple of years attain 75 per cent guaranteed in freedom of speech,” he said.
He also called on journalists to continue to discharge their roles with courage and improve on investigative journalism.
Soyinka added that the whistle blowing policy should be sustained so that the criminal elements will understand that the hiding zones are shrinking every day.
With NAN report
