Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has stated that he will comment on President Bola Tinubu’s administration when he deems it necessary, urging Nigerians not to impose a timeline on him.
Speaking on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television program, on Monday, Soyinka addressed those reminding him of his earlier remark about assessing Tinubu’s government after one year in office, which elapsed on May 29, 2024.
“People should stop trying to work on my timetable for me. I have not swallowed an alarm clock. I don’t see why I should put my alarm on and say, ‘One year has passed, now I must make an assessment,’ if there is nothing I feel like talking about and if I am busy elsewhere,” he said.
Soyinka had previously visited Tinubu on December 24, 2023, at his Bourdillon residence in Ikoyi, Lagos. When asked during the visit to evaluate Tinubu’s government, which began on May 29, 2023, he had stated that he would reserve his judgment until after one year.
Meanwhile, critics continue to accuse Tinubu’s administration of economic mismanagement, pointing to record-high inflation and an escalating cost of living. As the government approaches its second anniversary in May 2025, many expected Soyinka to fulfill his pledge to assess its performance.
However, the Nobel Laureate insisted that assessing a government is a collective responsibility, noting that several individuals and groups actively hold leaders accountable.
“This business of ‘you haven’t come to do this’—I don’t understand it. Other people are speaking. The Falanas speak consistently. The Baiyewus speak consistently. The Sowores come out and try to lead demonstrations. It’s a collective effort,” he said.
Soyinka also dismissed the expectation that he must formally mark the government’s one-year milestone with an assessment.
“The one year is up, which means you have a right to ask, and I have a responsibility to respond when you call me on certain issues. But if you are saying that I should call a press conference and say, ‘One year is up, let us now make an assessment’—why is that expected of me?
“Did I do that with Jonathan? Did I do that with Buhari? Did I do that with Obasanjo? Did I do that with anybody? All it means is that one year has passed. If I am available and you reach out to me, I will speak. That’s all that statement meant,” he added.
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