Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on Tuesday denounced the story published by The Nation on his birthday over his comments on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Soyinka said he never uttered words attributed to him by the newspaper, which sought to cite the plague of violence by nomadic herdsmen for the “erosion of Buhari’s achievements.”

The newspaper had reported that Soyinka lamented the growing challenges posed to the security of Nigerians by herdsmen, saying President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to resolve them has eroded his administration’s achievements.

Read Wole Soyinka’s full rejoinder below:

Re: Misrepresentation of Statement by The Nation’s Reporter

I denounce, in very strong terms, the report in THE NATION of July 15, 2019, regarding my exchange with school pupils who visited me in Abeokuta, on Sunday, July 14, as part of the organized events on my 85^th Birthday. I am appalled that such a twisted and unprofessional account could be disseminated by a paper that has earned itself a high level of public regard, not only for its reporting, but for the galaxy of perceptive contributors on national affairs and other issues of public interest. It is a gross disservice to truth and conscience, and the pursuit of the journalistic profession as a whole.

At no time did I utter the words attributed to me by that paper, which sought to cite the plague of violence by nomadic herdsmen for the “erosion of Buhari’s achievements”. Indeed, at no time in that exchange did the “achievements” of Nigeria’s current government – real or fictitious –come under consideration. The headlining is especially gratuitous, fictitious, and dishonest.

For the avoidance of doubt, a school pupil had requested my assessment of ALL past Nigerian governments. In order to enable these pupils develop as objective, all-round critics, constantly aware of the context in which opinions should be formed, I began by warning them that governance is a difficult undertaking. I went on to add that governing a complex nation space known as Nigeria is especially challenging. The NATION’s report has mischievously detached, then reattached that comment elsewhere in order to introduce achievements of his or her own conceiving. For good measure, comments on rampaging herdsmen were similarly displaced and relocated to provide Buhari’s government alibi for failures.  This is crude, mind-boggling, propaganda, unworthy of any but suborned professionals.

Such outrageous ploy is no different from the conduct of social media commentators – especially at election time –who, lacking the courage to propagate their personal opinions, impudently steal the identities of others – mine being a favorite — including pasted photographs, in order to participate in public discourse.  It is sad to see this unprincipled conduct being adopted by the print media.

For a reasonably accurate rendition of what was said at that encounter, I recommend the report in The PUNCH of the same event.

Wole SOYINKA

Ajayi Boroffice, senator representing Ondo north senatorial district, says he can no longer travel to his hometown because of the fear of being kidnapped.

Boroffice, who is the deputy majority leader at the upper legislative chamber, said this during a visit to the Akure residence of Reuben Fasoranti, Afenifere leader, whose daughter, Funke Olakunrin, was killed by gunmen.

Olakunrin, 58, was murdered along Benin-Ore highway while returning to Lagos after visiting her father in Akure, Ondo state capital, on Friday.

Boroffice called on the federal government to beef up security across the country.

“The government which I’m part of, should find a solution to this problem. The ordinary people in Ondo state will still carry out their businesses… you can’t ask them not to go out. In the senate, we discuss this issue of insecurity on regular basis,” he said.

“I’m here in Akure now, I would have loved to go to Oka, my hometown but the fear is that how do I move from Akure to Oka because their is a spot near Oba where these people (kidnappers) are. So, this issue is affecting everybody.

“It’s not something that we should feel unconcerned about. We are all concerned and I believe there is something going on on how to find a solution to this problem.”

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Monday, made public his campaign promise to publicly declare his assets.

The Governor, who visited the Oyo State office of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in Ibadan to receive a copy of the asset declaration form said that his decision to make the assets public was in fulfillment of a personal promise he made during the elections.

Details of the assets as contained in the CCB 1 with the name Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, which was declared at the High Court of Oyo State, on May 28, 2019, indicated that the Governor is worth over N48 billion.

The assets declaration form, marked OYSE/2019/001 contained details of cash at hand, in the bank, landed properties (developed and undeveloped), household items, share and bonds owed by the Governor, his wife, Omini Makinde as well as his companies.

According to details of the asset form made public by the Chief Press Secretary to Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, the Governor of Oyo State had cash at hand and in the bank worth N234, 742,296.01, as at May 28, 2019.

In dollar terms, the Governor has cash valued at $30,056.99 as at the same date.

Properties, including the developed and undeveloped as well as household items indicated on the asset forms, showed that the Governor is worth N2, 624,800,500 (two billion, six hundred and twenty-four million, eight hundred thousand, five hundred Naira as at the date of asset declaration.

In Dollar terms, the Governor also declared properties, developed and undeveloped as well as household items valued at $4,400,000(four million, four hundred thousand dollars only.

In South African Rands, the Governor declared buildings and household items worth four Million, four hundred and fifty-seven thousand, five hundred and fifty-four and four South African Rands.

The houses declared by the Governor include nine buildings in Nigeria, two in the United States of America and One in South Africa.
One of the properties in the United States is described as “jointly owned.”

The details showed the current value of Makinde’s companies stand at N48, 150,736,889 (forty-eight billion, one hundred and fifty million, seven hundred and thirty-six thousand, eight hundred and eighty-nine Naira), with 33, 730,000 units of shares as at May 28, 2019.

The Governor also has existing Bonds (Eurobond) worth $3, 793, 500 as well as shares, debentures and other securities valued at N120,500,000 (One hundred and twenty million, five hundred thousand naira).

The companies listed by the Governor include Makon Engineering and Technical Services Limited; Energy Traders and Technical Services Limited; Makon Oil and Gas Limited; Makon Group Limited, Makon Construction Limited and Makon Power System Limited.

The asset declaration form indicated that Makinde’s four companies have additional assets denominated as loan notes including Makon Engineering and Technical Services Limited(N1.7 billion); Makon Power System Limited(N148.4 million); Makon Oil and Gas Limited(N341 million); Energy Traders and Technical Services Limited(N1.159bn) totalling N3.389billion.

Speaking with newsmen at the CCB office in Ibadan, Makinde said: “I came here to collect the photocopy of the form that I signed in fulfilment of the campaign promise to the people that I will declare my asset publicly and release the document to the public.

“I will encourage all the members of my cabinet to do the same thing but in as much they stay within the ambit of the law, I will encourage them to do the same”.