Soyinka promises more protests after his arrest

The Nigerian Nobel prize-winning author Wole Soyinka has vowed to launch new anti-government protests after being tear-gassed and arrested by police in Lagos at the weekend.

"I was out with others to protest against the increasing dictatorship in this country," Mr Soyinka said after his release on Saturday.

He had gone out on to the streets with about 500 Nigerian human rights activists and civic leaders to protest against the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo, which they accuse of being "a civilian dictatorship".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/may/17/books.booksnews

thegoodjoehunt: I am saying what they did was for ,igeria and not for a presidential package. So why is it that we Niger Deltans feel they have an alterior motive behind their campaign now and are issuing death threaths.

I am. An Akwa Ibomite but born and raised in Rumubiakani, Port-Harcourt.100 percent Niger Deltan.

dayokanu:

The most vocal critics of Obasanjo were Yorubas

dayokanu: Soyinka protesting against Obasanjo



[size=14pt]Soyinka Backs Massive Protest; Calls for Iwu's Sack; Says Obasanjo Politically Corrupt[/size]

WildChild00:


Bros now I get your point, nobody is issuing death threat to dem, the people felt they are abusing the powers bestow on dem by being partisan to the crisis rocking Rivers states, the youths hv to option than to speak out as they have always done in the past, thats all.....

thegoodjoehunt:

There is nothing wrong in speaking out or having an opinion. What the Prof is against is wrong. We can't sweep the President and his wife's actions in the Rivers matter under the carpet. We can't condone a CP allowing thugs in the building. We can't tell fathers of the nation not to protest. They have fought and driven this nation for so long that they shouldn't watch when wrong takes place.

The President should call his people to order because they are the ones creating the unrest.

The youths should not take sides politically but take the right steps and speak against wrong processes.

WildChild00:

Wen Obasanjo was warming up for third term, I never saw Prof. Wole and co speaking to the dalies and staging protest ooooo.

0monnakoda: Probably because you were high on weeed and kaikai

dayokanu:

Probably because after giving him 2 instances each of Falana and Soyinka protesting against Obasanjo where Soyinka was even arrested and teargassed he still maintained his diatribe

OBAGADAFFI: Well I dare them to touch Shoyinka and Falana.
Yorubas may look quite, but their violence is deadly.
Ijaws should ask the Hausas what they experienced during Abacus regime.

0monnakoda: Whether you like it or Not we will kick that fisherman out in 2015 if you want someone from your region bring Amaechi who understands governance, Not Alams' mumu boyboy GEJ. He is going down

WildChild00:

Maybe they were not as vocal, perhaps the man is frm their region, and are u telling me that dey stopped OBJ frm his third term bid? "Mr. Femi n Prof. Wole did it?" As an activist himself an Femi should not been seen taking sides, organising conferences and collecting money frm one party, they should be netural in their dealings and more of advisory role.

WildChild00:


Bros, yes what you are saying is right, the Prof as a citizen of the federal repulbic of Nigeria and an elder states man is entitled to his own opinion, likewise u and I tooo, but the mode the prof, I taking it keep everyone wondering, he is meant not to take side, u understand wat I am saying, he should play more of an advisory role, and elder, that is wat he (prof Wole) is known for, rather than taking sides. The youths are not taking sides either.

thegoodjoehunt:

In this Rivers State stress, what should Prof. Wole do? What should he say to Gov. Amaechi? The problem came from PEJ's loyalist trying to overthrow Gov. Amaechi as far as this assembly crises is concerned. The CP isn't acting right also. These are under GEJ. The youths of Rivers State are against the Prof because he isn't Riverine. That is taken sides.

WildChild00:

Over the years Prof Wole has been known to always say the truth the way it meant to be, but on this particular crisis, he has choosen to take side, by supporting the Governor of the state, which is not the right thing for an activist to have done, he should act as an elder states man.
How is the CP suppose to act? Pls tell us.......
The youths are not against Prof Wole becos he is not frm Rivers state, but rather he is taking sides, instead of being an elder states man, as he has always done in the past.

McLuhan: I support the demonstration being planned by Soyinka, Falana and their colleagues. These are fearless pro-democracy activists who will protest against injustice anywhere. I really commend their courage. My only suggestion is that their activism should not be selective. The Boko Haram problem in Borno is no less an injustice than the crisis in Rivers State. So, immediately after the Port Harcourt rally, they should visit the Boko Haram camps in Maiduguri, Damaturu, and Potiskum for similar demonstrations. I know that Soyinka is totally against the heinous human rights abuses being perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorists and I know he will surely storm their hideouts very soon to protest the killings.

dayokanu:

Did Soyinka not take sides with Jonathan during the Yar Adua cabal issue ?

Did Soyinka not take sides with MEND in 2009?

So why has it become a problem to take sides against inJustice

Codedrock: To be Candid, that soyinka guy they fuc*k up jor.. Wetin concern him wit politics.. I just hate the way abuses goodluck/wife..

WildChild00:


Call ur brothers frm the South west to other, thats all the youths hv asked for, they can settle their problem themselves.

OBAGADAFFI:
Why should we call anybody to other, so protest is now a taboo in Nigeria.
WS has outlived many dictators in Nigeria and GEJ won't be different.

WildChild00:

Nobody is saying protest is not allowed, Its allowed in an democratic setting, but do not forget, there are rules and regulations wel spelt out before protest can be allowed e.g. Getting a permit from the Nigerian police force.

South west is not a threat, we frm the south-south knows the language they understand, go ask the leader of one of the parties frm the south-west who lives in Ikoyi, I rest my case.

OBAGADAFFI:
Why should we call anybody to other, so protest is now a taboo in Nigeria.
WS has outlived many dictators in Nigeria and GEJ won't be different.

WildChild00:

Over the years Prof Wole has been known to always say the truth the way it meant to be, but on this particular crisis, he has choosen to take side, by supporting the Governor of the state, which is not the right thing for an activist to have done, he should act as an elder states man.
How is the CP suppose to act? Pls tell us.......
The youths are not against Prof Wole becos he is not frm Rivers state, but rather he is taking sides, instead of being an elder states man, as he has always done in the past.

Codedrock: To be Candid, that soyinka guy they fuc*k up jor.. Wetin concern him wit politics.. I just hate the way abuses goodluck/wife..

take dat: Short sighted, lazy and patronage-inclined self styled ethnic champions engaging in senseless ethnic-based and irrational arguments. So because both men are not from the ND, they must not interfere in ND affairs? So the Ijaws are now the mouthpiece for the entire region? The Ijaws most especially should shun forthwith, their agenda of promoting threat situations, and defending the indefensible whenever the presidency is criticized. No tribe has the monopoly of violence, nothing must happen to both men(WS and Falana)

fiscalcliff: Hmmn!
So Ijaw criminals or is it militants i.e. hired thugs are now the mouthpiece of a sitting President
When Soyinka was marching on the streets for Ebele's elevation to President after Yaradua's demise as was Falana demanding same,where were they
Now he is their 'son' who can do no wrong
Wole who was imprisoned for speaking out for the Igbo's during Biafra is now suddenly a noisemaker
Jonathan's ambition will ruin this nation
If he was performing, 1 would even understand why he's seeking to return
Truly Achebe was right because they truly was a country