31 May, 2012

Prof. Wole Soyinka's view on the UNILAG crisis



This is one gift horse which, contrary to traditional saying, must be inspected thoroughly in the mouth.

Primary from all of us must be a plea to the MKO Abiola family not to misconstrue the protests against the naming of the University of Lagos after their heroic patriarch.

Issues must be separated and understood in their appropriate contexts. The family will acknowledge that, among the loudest opposing voices to Jonathan’s gift horse, are those who have clamoured tirelessly that MKO Abiola, the Nigerian nation’s president-elect, be honoured nationally, and in a befitting manner.

Next is my confession to considerable shock that President Goodluck Jonathan did not even think it fit to consult or inform the administrators of the university, including Council and Senate, of his intention to re-name their university for any reason, however laudable. This arbitrariness, this act of disrespect, was a barely tolerated aberration of military governance. It is totally deplorable in what is supposed to be a civilian order.

After that comes the bad-mouthing of MKO Abiola and the Nigerian electorate by President Jonathan who referred to MKO as the “presumed winner” of a historic election. While applauding the president for finally taking the bull by the horn and rendering honour unto whom honour is due, the particularities of this gesture have made it dubious, suspect, and tainted.

You do not honour someone while detracting from his or her record of achievement. MKO Abiola was not a presumed winner, but the President-elect of a nation, and thus universally acknowledged.
It is sad, very sad, that after his predecessor who, for eight full years of presidency, could not even bear to utter the name of a man who made his own incumbency possible, along comes someone who takes back with the left hand what the right has offered.

However, there is hope. Legalists have claimed that there is a legal flaw to the entire process. The university, solidly backed by other tertiary institutions nation-wide, should immediately proceed to the courts of law and demand a ‘stay of execution’. That should give President Jonathan time to re-consider and perhaps shift his focus to the nation’s capital for institutions begging for rituals of re-naming.

After all, it is on record that the House of Assembly did once resolve that the Abuja stadium be named after the man already bestowed the unique title of “Pillar of African Sports”.

He deserved that, and a lot more. What he did not deserve is to be, albeit posthumously, the centre of a fully avoidable acrimony, one that has now resulted in the shutting down one of the institutions of learning to whose cause, the cause of learning, President-elect MKO Abiola also made unparalleled private contributions.

Let me end by stressing that my position remains the same as it was when the University of Ife was re-named Obafemi Awolowo University.

Wole Soyinka

21 comments:

  1. Forgive GEJ for he dont know what he is doing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I beg to ask these questions. Is Jonathan not a learned man? Does he not know that there are procedures to follow in such sensitive issues like changing of name of a Federal institution of learning? Does he not have advisers. Pls what is the minister of education stand on this issue. why did he not carry the university authority-administrators and senate along. Does he think we are in a military regime. Jonathan you had better watch it. Enough is Enough.

    ReplyDelete
  3. He who the 'gods' will destroy ...

    ReplyDelete
  4. The process is wrong, he should have consulted the right quarters and if anything happened Ay least he consulted. Pls Nigerian People dont let us dwell too much on this as we have got more issues to tackle in this project called Nigeria

    ReplyDelete
  5. One day GEJ will also change the name of Uni of Ibadan to ADEDIBU University,because the man is a strong member of PDP.all other Institution should join and fight this battle.My question is,Did MKO died for Uni Lag's course?.Why not named national assembly after MKO?.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I believe we should not attack our president. He may make mistakes (to err is human, but to forgive divine...)Don't forget future leaders.. you will govern tomorrow. You are bound to make mistakes. Whatever a man sows.. that will he reap.
    Join hands and lets build Nigeria.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What was Soyinka's position then? And he seems to be talking of legality here even.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jonathan is a silent millitary dictator and his administration is a wasteful one.imagine how much he will use to effect the change of name from all the unilag documents and so on.he sould realise that we have other things we can channel all this funds to than doing this for now.the timing is even wrong.when the institution is still mourning the dead vice chancellor.the problem mr president has is that,he is either surrounde with bad advisers or that he doesn't listen to advice.or maymabe those around him are sychophants.He should go back to God in prayers and pray always for divine guidiance in all he does.

    ReplyDelete
  9. There is omission of consulting no man is without error, Jonathan should prove that he did it out of good will and suspend implementation till all are carried along and there consent obtained. if this fails he should simply shift to another way there are many ways to do it. forcing it will undermine the significance of the purpose and the honor will become dis-honor.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This man I learnt studied zoology, I think he should be in the zoo doing what he knows best. He is getting it wrong again, the first one was a single term seven years for Presidents, the second one was the removal of the Oil Subsidy and this one again, renaming a 52-year old University of Lagos which is even adding value to the image of Nigeria abroad (nothing against my hero MKO Abiola). There are other new universities projects that are on-going in the country, there is even the Aso Rock Villa or the National Assembly Complex or the National Stadium that could be re-named after Abiola. His ideologies are always unpopular to the masses. In his usual undemocratic, despotic and autocratic behaviour he would always say there is no going back in his decision. Is this our president? Lord have mercy on Nigerians.

    ReplyDelete
  11. How did jonathan managed to become a P.hd holder? Am sorry but i think his recent actions are void of critical thinking that are hallmarks of an academician.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Goodluck Jonathan is basically an 'illiterate'. You can't compare him with some of his contemporaries. Essentially, the fact that someone can read and write, does not exclude him from the hierarchy of illiterates. Jonathan passed through several educational systems, perhaps bereft of qualitative teaching circumstances. He also lacks the ability to think critically.

    Wole Soyinka, God bless you sir.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Churchill came, he went they didn't change the name of Cambridge for him; JFK came (attended Harvard) they didn't change the name of Harvard for him, what's this now? btw, UNIFE should be returned to its original name. This "re-naming" of streets, uni's etc. has to stop! The family even think it's bizarre

    ReplyDelete
  14. Renaming!! Is that the only way to honour someone?! GEJ is just looking 4 a cheap fame. I am so disappointed at this man called President... A man without his own ideas; always waiting to be pushed aroud by those who manipulated him to be there! Better resign and have a peaceful life than reducing ur lifespan bcos of bing a party faitful.If u die, i bet you, Balyesa state will not even name a street in your honour.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Make any attempt to change the name of UNIBEN. Yawa never before seen go gas.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Even nelson madela that lost everything 2 gain independence 4 south africa,a university was not renamed for him(nothing against mko though,he was a good man).jonathan is only looking for cheap fame,he has serious issues before him like d bomb blast,building of refinery andpower supply issues,job opportunities and provision of social amenities,yet he wants 2 run for 2015 again.God will definately punish him and his hopeless wife.oloriburuku man

    ReplyDelete
  17. Please, let u people stop abusing this mumu man called jonathan alone,but criticse also the 'DECEITFUL PARROT' CALLED LABARN MAKU WEY CALLED HIMSELF INFORMATION MINISTER,he is the one deceiving him.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am suprised that people can be suprised abot what a mumu president can do. For goodness sake is that what to expect from a genuine Phd holder?

    ReplyDelete
  19. When Mr. President discovered that he doesn't really have anything to present as his 1yr. achievements he was advised the name change so as to create the confusions that he has so that the other parts of the said speech will have less scrutiny. source: hear how your President and Dr. Emeritus read his speech like a primary 3 pupil.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Jonathan is learned but not exposed.

    ReplyDelete
  21. His action was undemocratic and Need to be revisited please.

    ReplyDelete

Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)

Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com