‘I didn’t swallow an alarm clock’ — Soyinka rebuffs calls to assess Tinubu’s administration

Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Laureate, has rebuffed calls to assess the President Bola Tinubu administration. 

On December 24, 2023, Soyinka said he would assess Tinubu’s government after the president had completed one year in office.

Soyinka said he usually gives a president one year to stabilise because they often take off from “lower than ground zero”.

With the Tinubu administration nearing its second-year mark on May 29, there has been public outcry over the prevailing economic hardship in the country and spiralling inflation.

Speaking on Monday on ‘The Morning Brief’, a Channels Television programme, Soyinka asked those mounting pressure on him to assess the administration to back off.

“People should stop trying to work on my timetable for me, I had not swallowed an alarm clock, I don’t see why I should put my alarm on and say — one year has passed, now, I must make an assessment,” he said.

“This business of you have not come to do this, I do not understand it.”

The playwright noted that assessing any government is a collective responsibility.

“Other people are doing the same; this is a collective effort. The Falanas, the Baiyewus, speak consistently. The Sowores come out and try to lead demonstrations,” he added.

“The one year is up which means you have a right and I have a responsibility to respond when you call me on certain issues. But if you are saying that I would call a press conference and say — one year is up, let us now make an assessment.

“The only question I would ask you is — did I do that with Jonathan? Did I do that with Buhari? Did I do that with Obasanjo? Did I do that with anybody? So, why is it expected of me?

“All it means is that one year is up. If I am around, and you want to get hold of me, I would speak. That’s all that statement meant.”