The Nobel laureate added that during that meeting, there was nothing like ‘reconciliation’.
Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has accused Peter Obi of encouraging ‘Obidients’ to attack him and others with opposing views online in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
Obi, a former Anambra State governor, is the candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election.
Supporters of the Labour Party and Obi are known as ‘Obidients’ and are notorious for trolling people with opposing views.
In May 2023, Obi visited Prof Soyinka days after the latter came under criticism on social media by LP and Obi’s supporters or ‘Obidients’ for faulting some remarks made by Datti Baba-Ahmed, vice-presidential candidate of the LP.
The literary icon had described Baba-Ahmed’s comments as “fascistic language”.
The renowned playwright had in a statement said ‘Obidients’ wore their refusal to “accept constructive criticism as a badge of honour”, while addressing the online attacks against him.
Obi later tagged the purpose of their meeting as reconciliatory which was denied by Prof Soyinka.
Soyinka, in a statement issued after the meeting, said there was simply no issue to reconcile between him and Obi or the Labour Party.
He said he wished to state clearly that the word “reconciliation”, inserted into some reports about Obi’s visit to him on Sunday, May 7, 2023, was inappropriate and diversionary.
“Let me clarify: I know the entity known as Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party. I can relate to him. I know and can relate to the Labour Party on whose platform he contested elections. There are simply no issues to reconcile between those two entities and myself.
“However, I do not know, and am unable to relate to something known as the “Obidient” or “Obidient Family”. Thus, albeit in a different vein, any notion of Reconciliation, or even relations – positive, negative or indifferent – with such a spectral emanation is simply grasping at empty air,” he said.
The Nobel laureate added that during that meeting, there was nothing like ‘reconciliation’.
“It simply did not arise. By contrast, there were expressions of “burden of leadership” “responsibility”, “apology”, “pleading”, “formal dissociation from the untenable”, all the way to the “tragic ascendancy of ethnic cleavage”, especially under such ironic, untenable circumstances. Discussions were frank, and creative. The notion of Reconciliation was clearly N/A – Non Applicable. It was never raised,” he stated.
Speaking further on that, Soyinka, in a recent interview with Noble Nigeria, said he realised that Obi was in control of the ‘Obidients’ who trolled him online.
Soyinka, who said he hoped Obi would not contest the next election because he and he and his team had proved to be incompetent to lead Nigeria, said, “I hope for the sake of the nation that he doesn’t express interest in the next election because for me as a leader, if there was any proof that he was unfit to lead that country, it’s in the conduct which he encouraged among his followers.
“I know for a fact, and I can give you an instance which proves that he was in control of those forces.”
Narrating an instance when he knew that Obi controlled the Obidient Movement trolling people with opposing views online, Prof Soyinka said, “It’s simply because when he first came to visit me, you know, he did come at one time. And I watched him. I watched his actions, body language, it seemed to be very conciliatory.
“I remember the moment when he took out his (mobile device) after he made a statement like ‘Oh don’t worry. You don’t have anything to worry about these people.’ He was talking about ‘Obidients’. I remember he took out his phone and he typed a message there. I was watching him very closely, I didn’t say a thing. And after that, everything seemed to be nice and cosy.
“And I saw and I read his statement about that meeting afterwards. The statement was a contrast to what actually happened, what we discussed and I mentioned it in my response.”
Soyinka said it “was a misrepresentation of what happened and I made sure that I put a statement out saying ‘No, I’m sorry, this is not what was said. This language never came into it”.
He said, “On the contrary. This is what happened and so when I meet somebody who is incapable, even at a meeting which is supposed to be reconciliatory, of being completely honest. I look at that person and smile to myself. Of course, when I got to Stellenbosch and I was asked a question about this, I repeated exactly what had given ‘offence,’ only this time I made it even stronger. I said Peter did not win this thing (election). So I led them again to go on the rampage and I went on about my own business.
“Don’t take my word for it, there were witnesses at the meeting. He came with two people and one person was from my side. Ask them! The statement he put out was not a reflection of what went on at that meeting, which I very reluctantly considered.”
He said there was pressure on him “not to allow him (Obi) into my house,” he rebuffed the pressure.
He said, “I said why not, let him come and say what he wants to say. I want to see him face to face, study him, leave him an opening and then act on them.”
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