Emulate Soyinka, be advocates of better Nigeria, Ojudu tells youths

Former Senator and former Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, on Sunday, berated the youths criticising the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, for not engaging the government of President Bola Tinubu on some of his policies, as he always did with other administrations.

Mr Ojudu advised the young ones to go and fight because Mr Soyinka started fighting for the betterment of Nigeria at about age 20, wondering why they still want an old man to go and fight at the age of 90.

Mr Ojudu stated this at an event titled, ‘Turning Pages @90 – A Tribute to WS Art & Literary Legacies,’ which took place on Sunday at The Farm, Ojudu’s residence in Ado Ekiti.

The event was organised to celebrate Mr Soyinka’s 90th birthday.

In his welcome remarks, Mr Ojudu said Mr Soyinka took a lot of risks in the struggle to make Nigeria a better place.

“When the civil war was already raging, he went behind the line to the East to have a talk with Biafra warlord Odumegwu Ojukwu. On his way back, he was arrested and detained in Kaduna.

“That detention itself produced the book ‘The Man Died.’ He went through harrowing experiences in detention, but he never gave up. He continued to fight for a better Nigeria.

“When in 1982/83, the National Party became a monster, he went to the studio and did a song called ‘I No Go Lie.’ He titled it ‘Ethical Revolution’. Again, that album was banned.

“He went on, and then, there was (Ibrahim) Babangida, (Sani) Abacha, and there was NADECO. He had to escape the country to go and collaborate with NADECO and those of us in the media to fight for the democracy we are enjoying today. For me, I do not think there is any other like him regarding the task he has given himself to make the country better,” he said.

Mr Ojudu noted that if, at 90 years, Nigeria is yet to attain the country of Wole Soyinka’s wish, he could not be said not to have done his best.

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“When I heard some young men condemning him for not fighting the current government, I said to them, if you have a grandfather who is 90 years old, would you want him to go to the street and carry a placard?

“Let the young ones go and fight. Soyinka started fighting at about age 20. Why are you calling an old man to go and fight your battle for you? Take the mantle from him and go and fight.

“Don’t call a 90-year-old man to come and run around. He has done his own, he has contributed his quota; all that we can do now is continue to celebrate him,” he added.

Wole Soyinka