Emmanuel Thomas l Monday, 8 May 2023
LAGOS, Nigeria – Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi has met with Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
This is the first time Obi will be meeting with the world acclaimed writer after his unwarranted attack on ObIdients (the unrepentant followers of Peter Obi), whom he described as repulsive and his condemnatory remarks on the Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Datti Baba Ahmed, whom he labelled facist following his utterance on channels tv that it would be an affront on the 1999 constitution to swear in the President elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu who did not obtain 25 percent required in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The Nobel Laurette also aligned with the famous critic of the Obidient movement, Seun Kuti. “By the way, I agree with Seun Kuti; ‘Obidients’ is one of the most repulsive, off-putting concoctions I ever encountered in any political arena”, he said.
But his verbosity was met with a lot of criticisms from academic writers to his fellow literary writer, Ngozi Adichie Chimamanda, to columnists and musicians.
On Fascism, Chimamanda said the professor who wrote, ‘The Man Died’ (the man died in the man who refuses to speak in the face of tyranny) and ‘Ake’, among others may have used the world Fascist since he is not given to restraint when it comes to his use of language.
She said the world Fascist often associated with the Musolini’s Italy is now being used to address authoritarian regime and right wing populace like the former President of America, Mr. Donald Trump, adding that Professor’s Fascist is a more fitting description for the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood who acted without restrain when he was told to step on the breaks and crosscheck results from the field before proceeding.
Peter Obi did not say what he discussed with Wole Soyinka. Although there are reports that he said the professor is always a friend of Igbos, especially his stance against oppression.
All he said is “Today, I visited one of Nigeria’s most revered figures and an international literary icon, Prof Wole Soyinka. Prof Soyinka has been a father whom I hold in very high esteem for what he has achieved and stands for in the struggle for a better Nigeria”, he said.
Obi a very respectful and humble politician is used to making visit to douse tension that may arise from altercations between his very eloquent and self-motivated followers with reputable Nigerians in his quest to build a better Nigeria.
Recall that prior to the February 25, 2023 general election, he met with Femi Kuti, the head of the Anikulapo Kuti family following altercation between his followers and the Kuti family and that ended the fracas before the election.
