Soyinka defends silence in assessing Tinubu’s policies, says he never did that with Obasanjo, Jonathan, Buhari’s govt

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has said he never assessed the past administrations of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.

Soyinka made the revelation while dismissing calls for him to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration, insisting he will speak when he has something meaningful to say.

Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast show, ‘The Morning Brief’, on Monday, Soyinka pushed back against expectations that he would automatically evaluate Tinubu’s administration after one year in office, as he previously suggested in December 2023.

“People should stop trying to work on my timetable for me,” he said. “I had 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.”

Soyinka had visited President Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, on December 24, 2023. When asked then to comment on the administration, which began on May 29, 2023, the literary icon had said he would reserve his verdict until after a year.

However, as Tinubu’s government marked its first anniversary on May 29, some Nigerians expected Soyinka to weigh in on the administration’s performance, particularly amidst rising inflation and economic hardships.

However, the renowned playwright, however, emphasised that critiquing governance was a collective responsibility, pointing out that other voices in the civic space have been speaking up.

“This business of ‘you haven’t come to do this’, I don’t understand it. Other people are doing the same; this is a collective effort. The Falanas speak consistently. The Baiyewus speak consistently. The Sowores come out and try to lead demonstrations. It’s a collective effort,” he said.

He also dismissed suggestions that he was obligated to issue a formal assessment of Tinubu’s government, questioning why such expectations were placed on him.

“The one year is up, which means you have a right and I have a responsibility to respond when you call me on certain issues. But if you are saying that I would call a press conference and say: ‘One year is up, let us now make an assessment’—the only question I’d ask you is: ‘Did I do that with Jonathan? Did I do that with Buhari? Did I do that with Obasanjo? Did I do that with anybody? So, why is it expected of me?”