Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has expressed concern over the Federal Government’s mismanagement of protests and the use of live bullets and tear gas by security agencies to manage civic protests. He condemned the attacks on #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters and journalists, stating that such actions would lead to violence and a cycle of resentment and reprisals.
Soyinka criticized the government’s response to the ongoing hunger marches in parts of the nation, describing it as a retrogression that takes the nation back to colonial times. He urged security agencies to employ alternative methods of addressing civic protests and shun lethal means of dispersing protesters.
The poet and playwright referenced the 2022/23 YELLOW VEST movement in France, where security agencies did not use guns or lethal force against protesters, even during direct physical confrontations. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to abandon the resort to lethal means and exercise the will to commence a lasting transformation.
Soyinka also suggested that protesters consider adopting the key songs of Hubert Ogunde’s BREAD AND BULLETS to inculcate a sense of shame in the government’s failure to transcend colonial inheritance. He stressed that the vicious cycle of lethal responses against civic society must be broken.
In conclusion, Soyinka called on the government to take responsibility for managing protests peacefully and to prioritize the safety and security of all Nigerians. He emphasized that the use of live bullets and tear gas would only lead to further violence and unrest.