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Soyinka prefers a united Nigeria under certain “rigorous conditions”, not Yoruba Nation

Published

3 years ago

July 6, 2021

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Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has faulted calls for the formation of a Yoruba nation.

He said he preferred a united Nigeria, but under certain “rigorous conditions”.

Describing the country as a “basket case”, Soyinka said the political arrangement was not working.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Pidgin, Prof Soyinka condemned the raid of the home of Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho.

On secession calls, he said: “I don’t like the sound of a Yoruba nation any more than I like the sound of a Tiv nation or an Igbo nation.

“The reason is this: there are certain pejorative overtones, chauvinistic overtones attached to it. That’s not the issue.

“When you talk about a Yoruba nation, are we talking about the creation of a nation within Nigeria alone or across colonial borders into Cotonou, Benin Republic, where Yoruba exists, moving on to Togo and even Ivory Coast?

“So, when we talk about Yoruba nation, I have to know exactly what you mean. Do we even talk about the Yoruba in the Diaspora?

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“So, it’s a question which is not for me to answer at this particular moment.”

Hinting at the need for restructuring, he faulted the existing revenue-sharing formula.

Soyinka said: “All I know is this: on a sentimental level, I will prefer us to mend and manage what we have, but under certain, rigorous conditions.

“The condition is decentralisation. We have to move away completely from this constitution which was imposed on us by an internal, neo-colonial force called the military.

“Now, if it had worked, if it were working, my position would have been different.

“My conditions are non-negotiable. We have to get away from the present political arrangement because they clearly are not working.

“They are creating internal overlords, they are creating a skewed, lopsided revenue-sharing system. They are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

“Right now, what we have is not a nation, but a basket-case, a real basket-case which is disintegrating all over the place, and all the contents are spilling over the basket.

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“And all we are trying to do is to hold it there, grab it there, cover it there, cover that leak, and so on.

“A nation can’t continue like this. It’s obvious. And some people are more impatient than others.”

Related Topics:Prof Soyinka Yoruba nation

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JUST IN: Tinubu, Shettima to pay toll at airport gates

Published

1 hour ago

May 14, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima will now pay the required toll whenever they use the gates at airports.

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation, announced this to journalists after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting chaired by Tinubu at the presidential villa in Abuja on Tuesday.

Keyamo said he presented two memos which were approved by the council.

Details later…

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Tinubu suspends 0.5% cybersecurity levy

Published

1 hour ago

May 14, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has suspended the 0.5 percent cybersecurity levy after criticism and protest trailed the announcement.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, announced the suspension.

Idris said Tinubu directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the implementation and review the modalities for its implementation.

Details later…

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Minister to sue Niger speaker over plans to ‘marry off’ 100 girls, says it’s ‘totally unacceptable’

Published

8 hours ago

May 14, 2024

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Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, minister of women affairs, has petitioned the inspector-general of police (IGP) and sought a court injunction to halt the marriage of 100 girls in Niger state.

Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, speaker of the Niger state house of assembly, announced last week that he would sponsor the wedding of 100 girls, some of whom were orphaned by insurgency, as part of his Maringa constituency project.

He said he had procured materials for the event scheduled for May 24, and promised to pay dowries for the bridegrooms.

Following the outcry that trailed the announcement, the speaker explained that he was only financing the wedding — not forcing the girls into marriage.

However, Kennedy-Ohanenye said the plan is unacceptable, and that the future of the girls should be a priority.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, the minister said a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issue will be carried out.

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She said the ministry will take responsibility for the girls’ education and vocational training.

“I want to let the honorable speaker of house in Niger state know that this is totally unacceptable by Federal Minister Of Women Affairs and by the government,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said.

“Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act and I said it from the onset, that is no more business as usual.

“These children must be considered, their future must be considered, the future of the children to come out of their marriage must be considered.

“So I have gone to court. I have written him a letter and written a petition to the IG of police.

“And I have filed for injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th, until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them.

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“As the speaker did not think about empowering these women or sending them to school or giving them some kind of training support financially.

“The women affairs have decided to take it up and we are going to educate the children.

“Those that do not want to go to school, we will train them in a skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child build his or her life and make up her mind who and when to get married.

“If for any reason the speaker tries to do contrary to what I have just mentioned, there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”

The minister added that based on the Child Rights Act, every child belongs to the state, hence the rights of every child will be protected from harm and violence.