Forces of Good, Evil at War in Nigeria —Soyinka

Wole Soyinka

Port Harcourt October, 19  2012 RECENT wave of killings in different parts of the country has been attributed to an ongoing war between the forces of good and evil. Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, said this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in his keynote address at the public presentation of Port Harcourt as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Book Capital 2014, on Thursday, noting further that Nigerians would cease to be human beings if they succumbed to the evil forces. Soyinka, who expressed anger at the manner in which four students of the University of Port Harcourt were recently killed and the Mubi killings in Adamawa State, said the forces of evil were out to extinct all traces of enlightenment and creativity in the country.

He, however, charged literary minds in the country to see themselves more than just authors, writers and readers, but as part of a creative army standing against the forces that had come to extinct creativity in today’s world.

“I believe quite frankly this country is at war, the war is between the forces of darkness and the forces of light.
The forces of intellect, the forces of rationality and the forces of atavism retrograde thinking, forces of hatred against humanism.

“I believe that if we surrender to these banal forces in our society, we cease to be human beings, because we succumb completely to fear and it is the same message we must take to those in this nation, who believe that books are wrong. “I don’t care whether they call themselves the final defenders of the pure road and the ultimate salvation or call themselves Boko Haram.

“This recognition indicates very clearly that something, at least, is going right in Nigeria, despite the avalanche of negativities. One plea to my fellow writers, authors everywhere is that we are not just engaged in the business of writing books, we are parts of large army of creative people,” Soyinka said.

In his welcome address, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who was represented by Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, said the administration had been investing in the education sector so as to grow a literate citizenry.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/49472-forces-of-good-evil-at-war-in-nigeria-soyinka

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Posted: at 19-10-2012 02:05 AM (11 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Nigeria issue has gone way beyond talk talk talk. We need action from our elders.

Posted: at 19-10-2012 06:17 AM (11 years ago) | Addicted Hero

Nigeria issue has gone way beyond talk talk talk. We need action from our elders.

I Dey Tell U Mehn... I Don't Even Know Why The News Still Acknowledge What This Guy Is Always Saying Anyway. Cus Since He Got His Nobel Peace Prize(And That Was Even B4 I Was Born) All This Guy Do Is Talk. And it seem like all this Traditional rulers we have are just there to get paid to only tell the youth to fight for the wrong reasons. I SAY THEY SHOULD PUT A STOP TO TRADITIONAL RULERS IN NIGERIA!!! When that is done, that would be the beginning of progress in Nigeria and the vision of us being ONE and UNITED would start to Manifest. Abeg, make una nor dey publish wetin all this old men get to say again if them nor ready take action Joor!

Posted: at 19-10-2012 06:57 AM (11 years ago) | Newbie

I Dey Tell U Mehn... I Don't Even Know Why The News Still Acknowledge What This Guy Is Always Saying Anyway. Cus Since He Got His Nobel Peace Prize(And That Was Even B4 I Was Born) All This Guy Do Is Talk. And it seem like all this Traditional rulers we have are just there to get paid to only tell the youth to fight for the wrong reasons. I SAY THEY SHOULD PUT A STOP TO TRADITIONAL RULERS IN NIGERIA!!! When that is done, that would be the beginning of progress in Nigeria and the vision of us being ONE and UNITED would start to Manifest. Abeg, make una nor dey publish wetin all this old men get to say again if them nor ready take action Joor!

Fine... What do you have in mind or what suggestions? You cannot suppress information.
This has nothing to do with Nobel Prize. A tree cannot make a forest. You tell me how many of his peers are talking? At his age he should be resting and the younger ones to take over but we are not doing that. He has been in the forefront of this battle for over 50 years he even went to jail twice and at one point detained for 3 years. My question to you is what can you do now?. Forget about the traditional rulers they can’t even talk let alone do something. The ball is now in your court so let’s do it.

Posted: at 19-10-2012 07:19 AM (11 years ago) | Gistmaniac

@Papadip So u expect a young guy who is still on the Grind to start something for this country that already compete with Hell. If u tell me that this dude has been on it for 50years and counting, u expect me to start counting another 50yrs on a Journey that even someone as strong as Fela couldn't shake? Dude, I want to do something about it really bad(Ay, I even opened a group on FB and BBM cus of this matter), but when u decide to, that's when u see that the youths have no interest it in. So, if there's a big idea u can bring to the table right now that can Stimulate the movement, Dude, I'm down with u!

Posted: at 19-10-2012 07:27 AM (11 years ago) | Newbie

Writers Speaking Out on Religious Defamation and Free Speech

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=cABVlXBPW2k" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=cABVlXBPW2k</a>

As part of the United Nations side-session panel discussion about free expression and religious defamation with Dr. Agnes Callamard,
Tariq Ramadan, Budhy M. Rahman, and John Ralston Saul, PEN American Center asked Nobel Prize laureate
Wole Soyinka, Ariel Dorfman, Azar Nafisi, and Kwame Anthony Appiah to express their views in a video statement.

All of the participants echoed John Ralston Saul's message that individuals have an absolute right to practice their religion freely and without discrimination or threat of violence, and that prohibitions on religious defamation are not an effective means to reduce bigotry or religious hatred….....PEN American Center

Posted: at 19-10-2012 08:31 AM (11 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Nigeria issue has gone way beyond talk talk talk. We need action from our elders.

We need action from our LEADERS not elders. Nigeria's problem can't be fixed without good governance. Elders pertaining to (50+) are no diff. From the youths. No matter the age We all need to battle Nigeria's problem together. God isn't gonna help anyone that doesn't first help themselves.

Posted: at 19-10-2012 02:41 PM (11 years ago) | Hero

We need action from our LEADERS not elders. Nigeria's problem can't be fixed without good governance. Elders pertaining to (50+) are no diff. From the youths. No matter the age We all need to battle Nigeria's problem together. God isn't gonna help anyone that doesn't first help themselves.

Very thoughtful…. The fact is no one wants to bell the cat.

Posted: at 19-10-2012 08:18 PM (11 years ago) | Gistmaniac

 

Posted: at 24-10-2012 04:59 AM (11 years ago) | Gistmaniac

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