Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, has
criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for his continued commendation of late
military dictator, Sani Abacha.
He said Mr Buhari cannot
praise Mr Abacha in one breath, then honour the presumed winner of the 1993
presidential polls, Moshood Abiola in another.
A few weeks ago, Mr
Buhari said no matter what anyone thought of Mr Abacha, he (Abacha) ran one of
the most effective governmentsin Nigeria’s history. He also took time to
flay another ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo for reportedly mismanaging
billions of funds deployed into the power sector while he held sway.
Mr Abacha was
Nigeria’s 10th military head of state. He served as the de facto president
of Nigeria from November 17, 1993 till June 8, 1998.
Mr Abacha’s government
was marred by rampant corruption and human rights abuses, especially
the hanging of activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, one of several executions of Ogoni
activists who opposed to the exploitation of resources in their
enclaves.
Mr Abiola and Mr
Obasanjo were jailed for treason. Mr Soyinka was charged in absentia with
treason.
Mr Abiola was later
imprisoned by the Abacha junta as he struggled to actualise his mandate. He died
in prison in 1998.
Mr Buhari on Tuesday
morning, conferred Mr Abiola with the nation’s highest honour, the Grand
Commander of the Federal Republic, (GCFR) – a honour exclusively conferred only
on presidents and former presidents.
The event took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
While Mr Abiola was
given a posthumous award GCFR, his then running mate, Babagana Kingibe, was
awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Also, late human
rights activist and lawyer who championed the June 12 cause, Gani Fawehinmi,
was awarded the GCON.
Successive governments
have brushed aside calls for Mr Abiola to be honoured and for the Federal
Fovernment to recognise June 12 as democracy day, actions Mr Buhari has now
taken.
Speaking at the event,
Mr Soyinka asked the president to stop “creating confusion” in the minds of
Nigerians.
“It is not possible to
honour MKO Abiola in one breath and then admire his tormentor in another
breath,” he said.
“Loyalty is all very
well but loyalty can become perverse if that loyalty is retained to an
individual who if he were alive today would be before the International Court
of Crimes against humanity. The one who broke the laws of Nigeria,
International laws, pauperized this nation, it is confusing if professional
loyalty is carried so far as to be accorded such an individual.
“We had a private conversation some time ago and l remember one
of the things which l mentioned to you was this …l said you are fighting
corruption.. how cometh that a notorious dictator, corrupt ruler, is honored by
one of the most important avenues in the capital of Abuja, whereas, individuals
like the martyrs of the struggle, philanthropists have not been honored. The
answer you gave to me was not too satisfactory.”
He further proposed a
hall-of-shame for past Nigerian leaders who were infamous for their brutality
”to sound as a warning note to would-be bad leaders”.
Mr Soyinka, however,
stated that he was “knocked out of his throat” (pleasantly surprised) by the
apology rendered by Mr Buhari for the June 12 atrocities.
PT
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