Buhari’s Failing Govt Can’t Unite Nigeria — Soyinka

*Says Now I Avoid Newspapers Due To Depressing
Reports

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, says he now goes days
without reading the newspapers to avoid the depression that comes
from reading bad reports of insecurity and other anomalies in the
country.

Soyinka added that he did not believe Nigerian unity is
attainable under the current regime of President Muhammadu Buhari
due to its systemic failure.

Soyinka said this in Abuja on Saturday at the book reading and
signing of two of his books titled ‘Trumpism in Academe’ and
‘Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth’.

Former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State had asked Soyinka
if he could write a Nigerian story that would evoke patriotism and
inspire unity among the various tribes in the country.

Responding, the playwright said no narrative would unite the
people of Nigeria without restitution and justice.

He explained that persons in Internally Displaced Persons’
camps, who had lost relatives and loved ones due to violence, would
not embrace any story of unity unless they got justice.

The Nobel laureate said Nigeria had lost a key opportunity to
unite, adding that he didn’t believe the regime of Buhari could
unite Nigeria because it suffered from systemic failure.

Soyinka added, “We had a critical moment and we lost that
moment. The moment when this country could have come together; and
the sense of oneness, belonging. That vision of oneness. We lost
that moment.

There has been more than one moment and we lost the moment. Will
another one come? I don’t know. Right now I don’t see it under this
government quite frankly.

“There is a failure, a systemic failure in present governance
and I don’t know who can put it together. These days, I try to go
some days without reading the newspapers. It is so depressing.”

Soyinka said he personally believed that Nigeria should not
break up but should remain one entity.

He, however, argued that it was wrong of the government to
continue to say the country’s unity was non-negotiable.

*Says Now I Avoid Newspapers Due To Depressing
Reports

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, says he now goes days
without reading the newspapers to avoid the depression that comes
from reading bad reports of insecurity and other anomalies in the
country.

Soyinka added that he did not believe Nigerian unity is
attainable under the current regime of President Muhammadu Buhari
due to its systemic failure.

Soyinka said this in Abuja on Saturday at the book reading and
signing of two of his books titled ‘Trumpism in Academe’ and
‘Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth’.

Former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State had asked Soyinka
if he could write a Nigerian story that would evoke patriotism and
inspire unity among the various tribes in the country.

Responding, the playwright said no narrative would unite the
people of Nigeria without restitution and justice.

He explained that persons in Internally Displaced Persons’
camps, who had lost relatives and loved ones due to violence, would
not embrace any story of unity unless they got justice.

The Nobel laureate said Nigeria had lost a key opportunity to
unite, adding that he didn’t believe the regime of Buhari could
unite Nigeria because it suffered from systemic failure.

Soyinka added, “We had a critical moment and we lost that
moment. The moment when this country could have come together; and
the sense of oneness, belonging. That vision of oneness. We lost
that moment.

There has been more than one moment and we lost the moment. Will
another one come? I don’t know. Right now I don’t see it under this
government quite frankly.

“There is a failure, a systemic failure in present governance
and I don’t know who can put it together. These days, I try to go
some days without reading the newspapers. It is so depressing.”

Soyinka said he personally believed that Nigeria should not
break up but should remain one entity.

He, however, argued that it was wrong of the government to
continue to say the country’s unity was non-negotiable.