Soyinka Dares Omisore, Says “I’m Waiting For Anyone To Sue Me”
– Govt must bring killers of Ige to book – Falana
Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has insisted that the National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Iyiola Omisore, is not fit for the position for disgracing former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the late Chief Bola Ige.
Soyinka spoke at a media parley with the theme: Forget the Past, Forfeit the Future: A Nation Seceding from Humanity, yesterday in Lagos.
The literary icon said he was ready for anyone who might want to challenge him on his position concerning Omisore.
“Those who want to go to court should proceed. I am waiting. There is a lot more to be unearthed,” he said.
Sounding figurative, Soyinka said: “If the ruling party wants Omisore, they should make him an ambassador, probably to Ukraine. Don’t make him the National Secretary of ruling party. That’s our concern.
“Someone who was guilty of attacking the Minister of Justice in the palace of a spiritual head of a group of people is not fit to be seen as National Secretary of a ruling party.
“There is no doubt about Omisore being erudite. He is knowledgeable about certain things. When you remove the cap of a man, in Yoruba culture, he knows the meaning.
“That action of disgracing and humiliating Bola Ige, a respected chief, disqualifies him from that position. I ask APC leadership to have a rethink. This issue will not go away.”
The Nobel laureate indicted the leadership of APC for giving such an exalted position to Omisore.
“It is a collective guilt on the leadership of APC that you have to unleash scorpions on our memories. Wole Soyinka didn’t provoke the situation, it is those who were so insensitive, callous and calculating to rub that on our faces,” he said.
Soyinka urged President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfill his electoral promise by reopening the files of unresolved assassinations in the country.
He said justice must be served, not only on the case of Ige, but also on Dele Giwa, Kudirat Abiola, Aminasoari Dikibo, Harry Marshall, among others.
Soyinka noted that the enthronement of violence and impunity has led to the debasement of values and elevation of the atrocities committed by terrorists.
The Nobel laureate urged the government to seek international assistance on insecurity rather than go for mercenaries, as suggested by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
“We are overqualified for international assistance. We have reached the end of our tether. Let’s seek foreign assistance. Nigeria has become a slave depot. Let’s stop relying on our empty pride and tell the international community we need help,” he added.
Soyinka, who also recalled how he was robbed in Lagos and his Abeokuta home, said despite police investigation into the matter, nothing was heard again on the matter.
On the Opon Imo issue, Soyinka said: “I didn’t invent it. I went there because I believe in localising technology. Some people complained to me it was their idea, and not that of Osun State.”
Activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) urged the government to ensure that the killers of Bola Ige are brought to justice.
The eminent lawyer recalled that the Chukwudifu Oputa panel recommended that the cases of unresolved assassinations should be reopened, citing the case of Kudirat Abiola and others.
“Once killers involved in murder have not been found, you don’t close the case. It is called cold killings in the U.S. Cases are reopened regularly. There is nothing wrong in reminding Buhari of the murder cases,” he said.
– The Nation
