How Prof Soyinka Insulted President Jonathan over re-election

Nigeria's Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has Thursday in Lagos said that he has 60 reasons why President Goodluck Jonathan should not be re-elected into office, stating that his administration does not deserve a second term.

Professor Soyinka spoke at the 2015 edition of a youth programme titled ‘Vision of the Child’ in Lagos.

He said Jonathan had failed to rescue the over 200 Chibok girls, who were kidnapped almost 300 days ago.

While addressing students at the event, he said, “I will not vote and I will not encourage anyone to vote for the continuation of this government, simply because your colleagues numbering over two hundred were kidnapped.”

“And the government of this nation failed to show leadership. So anyone who says after that event that I will vote or cast my vote or encourage anyone to vote for this regime must be living in Sambisa forest,” Soyinka said.

Speaking further, Soyinka said, “There has been a failure of leadership. Our children whom you represent today have been betrayed,” adding that no appropriate action was taken to retrieve them.

Recalling that it took the Jonathan administration ten day to even come to terms with the Kidnap, Soyinka said “After that dereliction of duty, after that failure of leadership, after that betrayal for our future, for anyone to think or to put words in my mouth suggesting that I will vote or encourage anyone to vote for this regime is a travesty of intelligence.”

The 2015 edition of Vision of the Child has for theme “The Road to Sambisa”.

This year, a total of 250 student participants from 60 primary and secondary schools within Lagos attended the interview.

The age bracket for the participants was 9 to 12 years.

Their entries were assessed by a panel of eminent judges comprising teachers, artists, child careers and social workers.

The finalists will be invited on the 7 March to the National Conversation Foundation Park, Lekki, and provided with brush, paint and easel, and will be required to illustrate their literary presentation in the complementary medium painting.

This year, 60 finalists were drawn from 35 schools within Lagos State, said Foluke George, Festival Secretary and Programme Manager for the Vision of the Child.