The 80th posthumous birthday of revered human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi was the avenue for Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka to shade former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his Coalition for Nigeria Movement.
Speaking on Sunday in Alausa, Ikeja at a public lecture themed: “Democracy for the masses through proper and effective governance” to commemorate Fawehinmi’s birthday, Soyinka urged new entrants into the nation’s political space to stop trooping to people who see themselves as “God – designated watchman over the fortunes of this nation”.
He equally alluded to some incidents that occurred under the civilian administration of Obasanjo, including the infamous abduction of then sitting Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chris Ngige, and urged Nigerians not to allow anyone plunge them into a ” zone of amnesia”.
He said, “Don’ t allow yourself to plunge into a zone of amnesia , in which you conveniently forget unpleasant realities . We’ ve had Presidents in this nation , some of whom inaugurated a never – ending democratic process , which landed us eventually under the most brutal dictators that this nation has ever known . We had others also who actually supervised the sacking of ‘ democratic government . ’
“ I’ m speaking of Anambra , I’ m speaking of Oyo State, a governor was kidnapped under their watch with their complicity ; in another instance , thugs actually entered the House of Assembly, sacked the legislators and installed their own candidates ; under the same watch . And they call themselves the God – designated watchman over the fortunes of this nation . And suddenly , here they are and I see Nigerians flocking to them and asking them once again to lead.”
Soyinka mocked Obasanjo over his statement at the inauguration of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement earlier in the year and accused the elder statement of “control by surrogation”.
Obasanjo had said he would like to be counted out of the movement should it metamorphose into a political party.
But Soyinka said, “Mind you, they ’ve said very clearly : if it becomes a political party, count me out o ; but paths are already being beaten to their doors – control by surrogation . Even if they do not individually put themselves back in the position of power, they are already smoothening the way for their surrogates , their stooges , so that they can continue to misrule from their cozy farmsteads . So , all I’ m urging is: be very vigilant. ”