‘It’s a national embarrassment that Buhari has refused to obey laws’ – Soyinka

Professor Wole Soyinka has taken a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari over his disregard for court orders.

The Nobel Laureate, who described the  action of the President as a national embarrassment, warned that citizens should not be the ones to choose the laws to obey.

He stated this with particular reference to the cases of Shi’ite leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzakky and former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), whom the Federal Government continue to deny bail granted them by different courts.

Soyinka expressed his dismay over Buhari’s alleged action on Monday when he spoke at the Handshake Across Nigeria summit entitled, ‘Nigeria beyond oil’.

The event was organised by Nzuko Umunna and The Core Federalists and was held in Lagos with many prominent Nigerians who attended insisting on the restructuring of the country as a way out of the Nigeria’s present challenges.

Soyinka said in his presentation, “Forgiveness is a virtue. Although, I have the same temperament with my late friend, Tai Solarin, but it is a national embarrassment that our President has refused to obey laws. Citizens should not be the one to choose the laws to obey.

“We want the government to understand that they are part of the community and have been given a mission of carrying out the will of the people. When we talk about governance, we are talking about an instrument for the execution of people’s policy. Insecurity has reached a certain level that even when we bring experts in they wonder what exactly they have come to do. They are given a certain problem to solve, and when they arrived here they meet another problem.

“One way of stopping the bloodbath is to reconfigure the nation. States must be given maximum control over their resources. There are some, who prefer to grow rice, there are others who prefer to grow religion and we know where religion has taken us today. Some people will like to say, it is not really religion that has gotten us to where we are, I agree with you; but some people have manipulated religion to suit their purpose. The effect of those who manipulated it is disastrous. If some people prefer to grow rice, and others to grow Sharia, then, both sides should be given the means to develop.

“Those insisting on restructuring do so because they know that there is something wrong with the state of Nigeria. Many times, Nigerians have come together to proffer solutions and the way forward for the country, but after spending so much time and effort, nothing ever comes out of it. The recommendations are left to gather dust. How much longer shall we continue like this?”

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Maj-Gen Ike Nwachukwu (retd), who chaired the occasion, in his speech called for the return to old regions, which he said is the only system that will allow Nigeria reap the benefits of its potentials.

READ ALSO: Days after demanding ‘end to hypocrisy,’ Court welcomes Dasuki’s trial in his absence

Others who spoke at the occasion include Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General, Nnia Nwodo; a leader of the Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; and the Director-General of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Yima Sen.

While many of them insisted on the restructuring of the country, the NFF Yerima Sen deferred a bit as he said “As a group, the NEF has met several times with the northern governors and the northern traditional rulers over the issue of restructuring and discussions are still ongoing. But one thing we have decided is that we are going to dialogue with our people and know what they want. Most often, the elites push an agenda because they think that is what those they are leading want and they usually do it out of pride and arrogance.

“We need to move from the level of sentiments to the scientific. It is important that when such important issues are discussed, the elites should be humble enough to ask their people what they want and that is what we are doing. We are not going to decide for our people whether they want restructuring or not. We are going to ask them and listen to what they have to say.”

Some prominent Nigerians also at the meeting include Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Prof. Anya O. Anya, Young Progressive Party, YPP, presidential candidate, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu among others.

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