Professor Wole Soyinka has described Nigeria a deserving of the ‘shithole’ term credited to President Donald Trump of the United States of America, saying everything Nigeria touches rust. The Nobel Laurette said this on Thursday while addressing an audience during the Ripples Nigeria Dialogue, with the theme “Rebuilding Trust in a Divided Nigeria,” holding in Lagos.
The Nobel Laureate condemned the humiliation of Nigerians by the military personnel, stating that the humiliation of Nigerians led him to relocating abroad.
“The treatment of Nigerians by the military led me to relocating to a saner clime. I remember invading Obasanjo’s residence in Lagos and challenging him concerning the way Nigerians were being treated. It is a disgrace to us, as a Nation. We have been left behind in nearly every field.
“They are lessons to be learnt from the diaspora. We need to peek across the Atlantic to see how other countries have been faring,” Soyinka urged.
Drawing illustrations from his lecture titled “From Miyetti to Haiti: Notes from a Solidarity Visit,” Soyinka emphasized the need to end slavery in our current society. Citing the examples of Haiti and Nigeria that has been described as shit-hole countries, as identified by Trump, United States President.
“We have become laughing stocks in the eyes of the public. We have earned the term of shit hole. Nigeria is sick and empty. Some retrogressive forces won’t just stop. Everything Nigeria touches rusts.”
He also asked the Federal Government to declare as terrorists, herdsmen responsible for attacks in states across the country.
He believes it is high time the Federal Government gives a stern warning against the carnage and utter destruction they inflict on the communities largely in Benue state.
“Life has become so trite, so cheap, that a group of supposedly rational, intelligent people in this world, especially a world that is trying to get rid of its degrading punishment called capital punishment and they come and decree handing, No, they’re not going to hang anybody.
“They just want an instrument to silence people. It is ironic of course that I should call Nigerian’s to resist this law”.
Wole Soyinka ended his session by emphasizing the need of looking in the mirror to solve Nigerian problems. He also encouraged the youths to resist the passage of the Hate Speech bill.
The roundtable featured Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka; Pat Utomi, represented by Mr Rasheed Adegbenro; Ex Governor Peter Obi and Dr. (Mrs) Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi.
