BY Taiwo George
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has criticised the military as a result of the actions of soldiers who molested people and torched some BRT buses in Lagos on Friday while protesting the death of their colleague involved in an accident.
Though pictures of soldiers venting their anger on people went viral, particularly on the social media, the military issued a statement absolving its officers from the act and blaming it on social miscreants.
But speaking on Saturday at the 5th Edition of The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, which held at the Civic Centre, Lagos, Soyinka wondered why the military, which ought to be protecting civilians, turned around to attack them.
“Our military has gone mad again. Totally out of control attacking civilians instead of protecting them. I call them allies of Boko Haram and I demand that the commander-in-chief brings them to justice,”he said.
“How many officers have they lost in the fight against the menace of the most horrendous challenges facing the country? How many civilians have they mowed down through accidental discharge? Simply because one of them was accidentally killed, they turned around to attack the citizens. This is a serial assault on this nation.
“These officers must be punished. Let’s have no more of this mentality, which seems to have become the order of the day. The military must behave themselves and know that we have been victimised enough and don’t want to be victims anymore.”
Soyinka expressed gratitude to the audience and thanked the organisers for finding him worthy of such honour.
Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, showered encomiums on Soyinka, saying that his life remains a great source of inspiration to many people and that he never imagined that he would have a personal encounter with the literary icon in his lifetime
“I wasn’t a fan of his back then because reading Wole Soyinka was like reading Shakespeare. I never knew that I would study Wole Soyinka in school and meet him in person. His life has been a source of inspiration to so many, even me, who hold public office in trust for people,” Amaechi said.
“Over the years, Wole Soyinka has pursued his dreams of a better Nigeria. He has always envisioned a new African society. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he has put his life at risk for his personal conviction. His struggles transcend ethnicity, class and religion. I can’t but wish you well Prof.”
Performances and different renditions by Steve Rhodes Orchestra, Crown Troupe of Africa and Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, Bez, thrilled the guest.
While the orchestra group presented remixed versions of sensational jazz and R&B singer, ASA, as well as that of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Bez entertained the guests by complementing his sonorous voice with his mastery of the guitar.
However, the audience could not but applaud the Crown Troupe of Africa for an ode that revolved mainly around the man in whose honour the prize was instituted. The expression, “Kongi O, it’s for you we are gathered tonight”, elicited a thunderous applause.
The panel of Judges chaired by Professor Olu Obafemi announced Akin Bello as the winner of the $20,000 grand prize, which was until then keenly contested by two other authors – Othuke Ominibohs and Toyin Abiodun.
Bello’s drama collection entitled Egbon of Lagos emerged the best among 163 entries submitted across 17 African countries.
Expressing delight over his emergence, Bello, who expressed empathy with the two other finalists, stated that the prize will help him to be more dedicated in his career.
“I express my heartfelt appreciation to the organizers of this occasion. I commend Prof. Wole Soyinka for his inspiration and express my empathy with my fellow writers – all the 163 contestants – particularly the two other finalists who until this moment had equal access to the prize like me,” said Bello
“I do hope that this prize will push me out of the corner of the challenges that writers face, particularly in Africa.”
Dignitaries at the occasion were the likes of former managing director of Daily Times, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi; Prof. J.P Clark; former executive chairman of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Keith Richards; popular nollywood actor and Delta State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Richard Mofe Damijo; lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana; former vice-chancellor of the University of Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Akin Oyebode; former general secretary, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and popular poet, Mr. Odia Ofeimun; and former editor of the Guardian on Sunday, Mr. Jahman Anikulapo.
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