Noble Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Wednesday warned the Federal Government of Nigeria to consider former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comments, on rising insecurity in the country and the alleged Africa Fulanisation and Islamisation.
DAILY POST had reported that Obasanjo on Saturday decried the high level of insecurity in Nigeria, stating that the Federal Government alone cannot tackle the menace.
He regretted that both Boko Haram and herdsmen acts of violence were not treated as they should at the beginning.
Speaking in Lagos, at the Africa Day 2019 organised by United Bank for Africa (UBA), Soyinka cautioned the government against dismissing Obasanjo’s advice.
Soyinka, who spoke on the theme: “Africa’s history redefined: Our past, a path to the future”, noted that the country was going through “horrendous descent into the abyss” and that the people on the street are interested in having their problems solved.
“We should be careful not to be too dismissive over the matter. The Federal Government is leaving aside the substance, which is the high level of kidnapping, youth suicide and terrorism in the country. I support unity in Africa but we need to particularize the area of unity we seek. Even Boko Haram also tries to unify everybody.
“When you talk about Uthman Dan Fodio, what comes to people’s mind is threat to dip the Koran into the Atlantic Ocean. There are many people in this controversy. My feeling is that the response of Minister of Information shows that they are leaving behind the substance, and worried about the language.
“Obasanjo was calling for a meeting to tackle some the serious issues in the country, including youth suicide. He said there are immediate needs to sit down and discuss these issues. And I am saying there are more immediate needs to do that,” Soyinka added.
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