Nobody is in Charge of Nigeria – Wole Soyinka

At the presentation of his recent book, ‘Chronicles of the happiest people on earth,’ Prof. Wole Soyinka has stated that 2020 has been a tough year and it was worse with the Nigeria situation.

He revealed at the Booksellers on Wednesday that with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic which was caused by human negligence, the nature of the leadership at the socio-political and religious levels in Nigeria made things more challenging as one wasn’t sure the path the country was taking.

The Nobel Laurette and a Professor of Literature said, “With the turbulence that characterises year 2020, and as activities wind down, the mood has been repugnant and very negative. I don’t want to sound pessimistic but this is one of the most pessimistic years I have known in this nation and it wasn’t just because of COVID-19, no. Natural disasters had happened elsewhere but how have you managed to take such in their strides?

“Was calamity as a result of human negligence or as a result of malignant activities when people find themselves under the control of other beings which I am afraid what most Nigerians find themselves in, it is like you don’t know from where the blow would descend. That is not the way a nation should be and that is not the way the citizens should exist.

“Situation has reached a point where you are not very sure of where you are going and where you will end it. As I had said before, you don’t believe, in many instances, that anybody is in charge. That, really, it is a parlous condition for any nation. So, I am afraid it has not been a very good year for me generally.”

Source: Punch