Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka criticizes President Bola Tinubu’s address on the handling of ongoing protests in Nigeria. Soyinka condemns the use of live bullets and tear gas against peaceful demonstrators, likening it to colonial-era repression, and calls for a transformation in protest management.
Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu's recent address regarding ongoing protests across Nigeria. In a statement released on Sunday, Soyinka expressed his disapproval of the government's response to the demonstrations.
Soyinka remarked that while the presidential address detailed the government’s remedial measures since its inception, it notably failed to address the handling of the protests. He condemned the use of live bullets and tear gas against peaceful demonstrators, describing these actions as a “retrogression” reminiscent of colonial-era repression.
He stated, “I set my alarm clock for this morning to ensure that I did not miss President Bola Tinubu’s impatiently awaited address to the nation on the current unrest. His outline of the government’s remedial action since inception, aimed at warding off just such an outbreak, will undoubtedly receive expert and sustained attention both for effectiveness and in content analysis. My primary concern, quite predictably, is the continuing deterioration of the state’s seizure of protest management, an area in which the presidential address fell conspicuously short."
Soyinka emphasized that the use of live bullets and tear gas against peaceful protests is a serious concern. He likened this response to colonial acts of disdain, underscoring that peaceful protests should be met with understanding rather than violence.
Soyinka cited the 2022/23 Yellow Vest movement in France as a model for peaceful protest management, noting the absence of gunfire even during intense confrontations. He urged Nigeria to adopt similar civilized approaches to security intervention.
In conclusion, Soyinka called for an end to the cycle of lethal responses to civic protests, advocating for a transformation in how the nation handles public dissent. He suggested that today's protesters might consider adopting the songs of Hubert Ogunde’s "Bread and Bullets" to highlight the ongoing struggle for justice and evoke a sense of historical awareness
