Soyinka rejects pressure to assess Tinubu’s Government on set timetable

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has firmly rejected any attempt by Nigerians to dictate the timing of his assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Soyinka asserted his independence, stressing that he would offer his evaluation when he deems it necessary, and not based on any predetermined schedule.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Monday, the renowned playwright and academic made it clear that he would not be bound by the one-year mark of Tinubu’s presidency, which falls on May 29, 2024.

Soyinka emphasized that he would only speak out when he felt there were substantive observations to share.

“I don’t see why I should put my alarm on and say: ‘One year has passed, now I must make an assessment’ if there is nothing I feel like talking about and if I am busy elsewhere,” Soyinka remarked, humorously adding, “I had not swallowed an alarm clock.”

Soyinka’s comments came in response to Nigerians who have been urging him to fulfill his promise to assess Tinubu’s administration after one year in office.

He reiterated that people should not try to impose their own timetable on him. “People should stop trying to work on my timetable for me,” the nonagenarian cautioned.

The Nobel laureate had first hinted at an assessment of Tinubu’s government during a visit to the President at his Bourdillon residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, on December 24, 2023.

At the time, Soyinka indicated that he would offer his evaluation after the one-year mark, in May 2024.

Critics of Tinubu’s administration have pointed to challenges such as soaring inflation and a rising cost of living as evidence of mismanagement.

Despite this, Soyinka made it clear that he does not feel pressured to make an assessment just because the one-year milestone is approaching.

He also pointed out that assessing a government is not solely his responsibility but a collective effort, citing the contributions of other prominent figures like Femi Falana, Ayo Baiyewu, and Omoyele Sowore, who consistently speak out on political matters.

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“This is a collective effort,” Soyinka said, emphasizing the shared responsibility in holding the government accountable.

The academic also rejected the notion that he was expected to hold a press conference just because the one-year period was up.

“Did I do that with Jonathan?

Did I do that with Buhari?

Did I do that with Obasanjo?

So, why is it expected of me?” he asked, reminding his audience that his decision to speak out would be based on his own judgment, not an imposed schedule.

Soyinka concluded that, should the need arise, he would share his thoughts when he had something significant to say, rather than on a preordained timeline.