Buhari has failed, can’t solve our problems — Soyinka – TheNigerialawyer

The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has taken a swipe at the
government of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the administration
has failed Nigerians over its approach to the herders/farmers’
crisis and other security problems bedeviling the country.

Soyinka said this on Sunday at his residence in Ijegba, Idi-Aba,
Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, while playing host to 85 pupils
drawn from all the six geopolitical zones of the country to mark
his 85th birthday.

Soyinka, who was born on July 13, 1934, clocked 85 years on
Saturday.

The playwright, who fielded questions from the pupils during an
interactive session, was supported by his younger sister, Prof.
Omofolabo Ajayi, and one of his children, Bojode.

When asked of his opinion about governance in Nigeria, Soyinka
said, “Governance is a very difficult occupation; Nigeria is a very
complex nation for a lot of reasons; its history, the background,
the formation of it, the complexity, the culture, balancing here
and there and then, you have several complications like fuel, among
others.

“Politicians that money has gone into their heads misdirect
themselves in terms of priority, they neglect some sections, some
of them are nepotistic and some of them alienate themselves from
the public which is the people they are supposed to serve and
govern and they think they are still colonial masters, especially
when we went through the military period.”

When asked to mention the governor he liked most in the country,
Soyinka said, “The major problem that we have is successive
governments; it is easier, on the state level, to say that this
particular state is doing better than this state, but the central
government, I am afraid, has failed and that is my view in the main
to really serve the people intelligently, creatively and be even
handed in their apportionment of facilities to various areas of the
nation.

“Look at what is happening today, how is it possible for me to
say for instance that I am pro this government, it is being
negligent, look at what is happening with the cattle all over the
place. That is a security issue which should never have reached
this level.

“I am sure that carelessness and single act which has resulted
in hundreds of people being massacred in their farms and their
farms taken over; it has wiped away a lot of the positive
achievements of the government.

“It is an issue that is so serious and which concerns the
welfare of you and me that any carelessness or any failure there is
totally unforgivable and unpardonable. It is not that one likes to
criticise for the sake of criticising; no! It is just that we
believe that there is a minimal level which any government which
has been elected to power must achieve to be considered a true
representative of the people. So, I am afraid I am waiting for you
to grow up and become president.”

Assessing Buhari’s government, Soyinka said Nigeria’s problems
had overwhelmed the President, calling for a national dialogue
among all the people across party and ethnic lines.

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