Soyinka opens up on Nigeria’s future under Buhari

Africa’s first Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has opened up on the future of Nigeria under the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that the country is now more divided than ever along religious and ethnic lines.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Soyinka said there was no hope of Nigeria continuing together as one nation if the Federal Government fails to do the needful.

He said Nigeria cannot continue to survive as a single country unless the government is decentralised.

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Expressing doubts that Nigeria can continue as one in the current circumstances, Soyinka said: “Not if it continues this way. Not if it fails to decentralise. Some people use the word restructure, some people use the word…whatever. Not if it fails to decentralise.”

“If Nigeria fails to decentralise, and I mean decentralise as fast as possible, manifestly not rhetoric, then Nigeria cannot stay together.”

“Again this is not Wole Soyinka saying this. Generals have said it; everybody has said it; ex-heads of state have said it; analysts have said; economists have said it and that’s what is happening to the people on the streets; that’s why they’re moving; that’s why they’re demonstrating; that’s why they’re defying even threats from the police; from the government ‘if you demonstrate, you’re traitors, we’ll deal with you…we’ll speak to you in language which you’ll understand’.”