Mixed Reaction Over VP Osinbajo’s ‘Integrity Award’ by Wole Soyinka Centre

There has been mixed reaction following the announcement of Integrity award that was supposed to be given to the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo by the Wole Soyinka Centre owned by Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, the publisher of Premium Times.

The centre announced the award but later cancelled it citing the uprising among the people especially in the case involving the Department of State Service and Omoyele Sowore regarding freedom of speech.

They said through their social media handle that Prof. Osinbajo did not feel right receiving the award at such a time in the country and thus, it was postponed.

Nigerians have reacted to the award while many feel that Prof. Osinbajo deserves the award for the singular act of firing the DSS boss Laman Daura during an invasion of the national assembly a year back as the acting president as of the time.

A renowned lawyer, Abdul Mahmoud, has this to say “That “Integrity Award” given to VP Osinbajo by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism is disgraceful. Once again, the award highlights how “heroes” of the past have gone into bed with despicable elements in this government. That Centre is not owned by Prof Wole Soyinka, nor is he connected to it in any way beyond the fact that the Centre is named after him. It is owned by Dapo Olorunyomi, publisher of Premium times.

“Dapo is a hero of the struggle against Military dictatorship but to superintend over an award to an individual who pretends as a spectator to the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the government he is the VP is irresponsible. A betrayal. Again, and increasingly, we are seeing how exhausted heroes are destroying the legacies they spent their lifetimes to build.

It’s the integrity award, stupid!”

Recall that there has been a mixed feeling in Nigeria over the continued detention of Omoyele Sowore and the invasion of the courtroom for his arrest on Friday by the DSS.