Soyinka to Obidients: Your refusal to accept constructive criticism has become a badge of honour

Wole Soyinka, the Nobel laureate, has addressed the criticisms he received from supporters of the Labour Party (LP).

On Wednesday, Soyinka faulted the remarks by Datti Baba-Ahmed, vice-presidential candidate of the LP, saying they contained “fascistic language”.

Baba-Ahmed had said the country has no president-elect despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcing Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election.

The LP vice-presidential candidate said Tinubu would be leading an unconstitutional government if sworn into office because the APC candidate “has not met requirements of the law”.

Soyinka was one of many stakeholders who knocked Baba-Ahmed over his comments.

In a subsequent statement, the Nobel laureate said he warned Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the LP, that his supporters — dubbed ‘Obidients’ — may cost him the election.

Soyinka’s comments elicited anger from the ‘Obidients’, especially on social media platforms.

“Wole Soyinka, an elder statesman is more angry about Datti’s Response to the fraudulent elections than the fraudulent elections itself. Some Elders are overrated,” reads one of the tweets.

“Don’t forget Wole Soyinka was one of those people that foisted Buhari on us.  He criticized GEJ so much and even likened him to King Nebuchadnezzar.  He also allegedly called his wife Hippotamus in 2013. When they try to gag you with respect our elders, show them this tweet,” reads another tweet.

Wole Soyinka, an elder statesman is more angry about Datti's Response to the fraudulent elections than the fraudulent elections itself.

Some Elders are over rated.

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— Thomas NOT Sankara (@Isidore0001) April 5, 2023

Don't forget Wole Soyinka was one of those people that foisted Buhari on us. He criticized GEJ so much and even likened him to King Nebuchadnezzar. He also allegedly called his wife Hippotamus in 2013. When they try to gag you with respect our elders, show them this tweet.

— Aji Bussu Onye Mpiawa azụ 🇨🇮 (@AfamDeluxo) April 6, 2023

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‘OBIDIENTS HAVE COMMITTED TO REJECT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM’

In a statement on Friday, Soyinka said Obidients have worn their refusal to accept constructive criticism as a badge of honour.

He maintained that the LP was sowing seeds of fascism and generating a climate of fear.

Soyinka asked the LP supporters to refrain from attacking and embrace fair hearing in situations of conflict.

“It would appear that a record discharge of toxic sludge from our notorious smut factory is currently clogging the streets and sewers of the Republic of Liars.  It goes to prove the point that provoked the avalanche EXACTLY!  The seeds of incipient fascism in the political arena have evidently matured. A climate of fear is being generated,” Soyinka said.

“The refusal to entertain corrective criticism, even differing perspectives of the same position has become a badge of honour and certificate of commitment.

“What is at stake, ultimately is – Truth, and at a most elementary level of social regulation: when you are party to a conflict, you do not attempt to intimidate the arbiter, attempt to dictate the outcome, or impugn, without credible cause, his or her neutrality even before hearing has commenced. That is a ground rule of just proceeding. Short of this, Truth remains permanently elusive.

 “The ensuing cacophony has been truly bewildering. It strikes me as a possible ploy to smother recent provocations by other, far more trenchant issues, such as revelations of declarations of a religious war. 

“If so, let it be known that I have long declared war against religious fundamentalism, the nature of which justifies the butchery, kidnapping and enslavement of students in the name of religion.”