Soyinka: No one is in charge of Nigeria

Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate, says no one is in charge of Nigeria.

Soyinka made the comment on Wednesday in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, during the launch of his new book, ‘Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth’.

Speaking on the state of the nation, the literature professor said the year has also been a pessimistic one for the country.

He said though there were natural issues that resulted in the “repugnant and negative” mood in the year, leadership also failed the country.

Soyinka insisted, as he said in June, that he does not believe President Muhammadu Buhari is in charge of the country. 

”With the turbulence that characterises year 2020, and as activities wind down, the mood has been repugnant and very negative. I don’t want to sound pessimistic but this is one of the most pessimistic years I have known in this nation and it wasn’t just because of COVID-19, no,” he said.

“Natural disasters had happened elsewhere, but how have you managed to take such in their strides? Was calamity as a result of human negligence or as a result of malignant activities when people find themselves under the control of other beings which I am afraid what most Nigerians find themselves in, it is like you don’t know from where the blow would descend. That is not the way a nation should be and that is not the way the citizens should exist.

“The situation has reached a point where you are not very sure of where you are going and where you will end it. As I had said before, you don’t believe, in many instances, that anybody is in charge. That, really, is a parlous condition for any nation.

“So, I am afraid it has not been a very good year for me generally.”