Soyinka: Nigeria is at a breaking point

PPARENTLY disturbed by the numerous political and economic crises in the country, Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday told Nigerians that they must be ready to take their destinies in their hands.

Speaking in Lagos during a rally organised by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) at the Onikan Stadium, Soyinka said Nigeria was at “a breaking point”, and that the people must decide what to do with their future.

He said Nigerians should no longer expect him and a few other activists to continue to risk their lives while they (Nigerians) are lethargic about the way the country is being run by those elected.

Joined by Professor Pat Utomi, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Bisi Akande, Lt-Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd.), Malam Nasir el-Rufai, Dele Momodu, Mr. Femi Falana and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, among others, Soyinka called on Nigerians to prevail on President Goodluck Jonathan not to use the 2006 voters register to conduct the 2011 general elections.

“Let this be the last time you (Nigerians) will drag me out to talk about voting and election generally; enough of talking, let’s match it with action; don’t bring me out here again to come and tell you to register and vote in any election; enough of talking, just go out there to register and vote.

“It is not enough to sit here and ask for new voters’ registration; we must all insist on how to do it and decide on what to do so that the people in charge of election will listen to you.”

According to him, the register is made up of synthetic names, names of animals and individuals that have long been dead, wondering why such an antiquated record should be used for the 2011 elections.

He described the register as “a condemnable compilation that contains the names of dogs, goats, cows and even dead people. You must decide not to be hoodwinked. You must decide what to do with those who are in charge of the exercise and what you have to carry out in your own behalf and on behalf of your children,” he said.

The Professor of Literature alluded to the post-apartheid era in South Africa, stressing that he would forever recall the elderly Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa dancing on the podium at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States.

“Let me remind you about post-apartheid South Africa. There was an incident in the UN that I will never forget. That was Archbishop Desmond Tutu dancing on the podium of the UN. Why was he dancing? He said that at long last and at an age close to 70, he was finally able to vote. When I can vote, that is when I can say that I have fully and completely become a man, a full human being,” Soyinka said, quoting the Archbishop.

On the appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he said: “My final word is a message to both Professor Jega and the President. I know Jega, I trust him, I believe him, I believe he represents the masses and I want to say to you that the civil society is behind you. I want you to know that the world is watching and the world is behind you because you have excellent credentials.

“I also want to let the President know that the world is behind you in any endeavour in which you strive to restore to the people their right, the fundamental right to express their will of who they want to govern them. The world is also behind the government in this respect but most important of all, we are watching, we are behind them in so far as you move and proceed in the right direction as you carry out the will of the people.

“And when the next government is installed, it should be an elected government; that government will ensure that we do not go backward in our history and one of the ways to do this is to ensure that those who have violated our fundamental human rights to humanity are put in the gallows, they are rigorously punished.

“No punishment is too heavy for those who have violated our constitution and denied our people the right to choose their leaders. We must go back and bring those people to book, not necessarily for vengeance but in the interest of enough is enough and let us say, no further step backward. We must resolve that the long nightmare is over”.

Utomi said it was unfortunate that the contentious register has foreign names like the former Heavy Weight Champion, Mike Tyson, and that of the late Pop Musician, Michael Jackson, adding that the Nigerian economy has remained stagnant for long since the leaders were never elected by Nigerians. He expressed optimism that Nigeria would rise again only if votes count.

Fashola changed the acronym RSVP to Register, Select, Vote and Protect, stressing that it was unacceptable for anybody to say that it is impossible to have a credible register.

“Even if it requires us to stay at home for 10 days to produce a credible voter’s register, we must do it.”

Bakare said it was time for the youth to rule the country, saying: “Our chance has come.”

But, Falana said he was not optimistic that the 2011 election would be credible.