Playwright and Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has once again criticised the Obidient movement, denouncing what he calls a climate of fear that has taken hold of Nigeria’s polity since the general election. “Obidients” refers to supporters of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who contested the February 25 presidential election. In a statement titled “Fascism on Course (I)” released on Friday, the elder statesman condemned the “fascist language” of Labour Party vice‑presidential candidate Datti Baba‑Ahmed, who attempted to dictate to the Supreme Court during an interview on Channels TV about the poll won by All Progressives Congress candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Soyinka also faulted voter suppression in several Lagos State polling units during the March 18 governorship and House of Assembly elections.
In a Tuesday statement called “Media Responsibility,” Soyinka expanded on issues surrounding the presidential election, noting that his interview with Channels TV had been distorted to the point that his remarks were unrecognisable. The Obidients responded by trolling Soyinka online, abusing both him and former Central Bank deputy governor Kingsley Moghalu, who had praised Soyinka’s objectivity in a tweet. Soyinka’s latest statement likened the current situation to “a record discharge of toxic sludge from our notorious smut factory… clogging the streets and sewers of the Republic of Liars.” He warned that the seeds of incipient fascism in the political arena have matured, creating a climate of fear in which refusal to entertain corrective criticism has become a badge of honour. He stressed that truth is at stake and that, in any conflict, parties must not intimidate the arbiter, dictate outcomes, or impugn neutrality without credible cause.
Soyinka described the ensuing cacophony as a possible ploy to smother more trenchant issues, such as revelations of a religious war. He reiterated his long‑standing opposition to religious fundamentalism that justifies violence, kidnapping and enslavement in the name of religion. He also condemned the “grotesque fantasy” of a Supreme Court chief justice allegedly travelling in a wheelchair to secret meetings, followed by a television tirade of intimidation. According to Soyinka, these tactics—ridicule, incrimination, intimidation—aim to undermine the structure of justice. He reminded readers that “justice is the first condition of humanity.”
The 2023 Nigerian democratic contest, Soyinka observed, has been marked by innovation largely in a retrogressive direction: violence, ethnic profiling, and “spiritual” warfare in the form of sacrificial rams used to restrain “disloyal” communities. He highlighted attacks on dissenting voices, citing the virulent threats against musician Seun Kuti, his family and the iconic music shrine after Kuti called the term “Obidient” derogatory to his civic dignity and activist history. Soyinka agreed that “Obidients” is a repulsive concoction in the political arena, yet he defended the freedom to hold such opinions, noting that “choice, taste, free emotions” are essential to liberty.
In any adjudication, Soyinka argued, it is unacceptable for a party to resort to extrajudicial influence—such as bribery, intimidation or threats—to sway outcomes. He warned that those who fail to appreciate this live in an illusory world. He referenced pundits, including Ambassador Haastrup’s analysis in *Newspeak* (April 6), who suggest that the presidential complainants may not be as securely positioned on the victory podium as they presume. Soyinka cautioned against sending assassins after dissenting analysts and called for deep reflection rather than demonisation of unwelcome news.
Soyinka urged the committed to “pull back the horns a little” to regroup, rethink and resurge, reminding readers that democracy is often a long haul. He warned that the current season of self‑flagellation and fasting makes “constricted minds even more light‑headed,” and that parochial excitement should not be mistaken for national service. He dismissed the “flat, easy disposable lies” that gain traction through repetition, noting that they remain irrelevant to the substantive issues at hand.
He lamented the proliferation of fake CVs and amateur commentators who lack sufficient truths, especially among the younger, confused generation. Soyinka criticised attempts to equate today’s contest with the twenty‑year‑old anti‑Abacha struggle, calling it a gross abuse of historic licence that only satisfies rookie activists. He advised them to seek the “school of survivors” and learn humility before speaking, lest their false mythologies collapse.
Regarding “Project NIGERIA,” Soyinka confessed uncertainty about its future, but insisted that the nation must rid itself of ignorance and opportunism. He affirmed that, until a genuine revolution—grounded in purpose and aware of its risks—occurs, the structures that ensure just and equitable cohabitation must be protected from partisan appropriation, material inducement, fake news, and verbal terrorism. A revolution, he warned, is not about lining up behind the nearest symbol; any emerging symbol must be examined critically, and freedoms guarded at every turn.
In closing, Soyinka invoked a favourite maverick’s words, suggesting that he and his opponents now stand on opposite sides of the strategic fence—a hallmark of democracy. He concluded with a resonant admonition: “Your mumu don do!”
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