October 19, 2012 by Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt

NOBEL Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Thursday said recent developments in Nigeria portrayed it as a country at war.

Soyinka also described the current killings in parts of the country as an ongoing war between the forces of good and evil.

Speaking at the presentation of Port Harcourt as the UNESCO World Book Capital for 2014, he said Nigerians would cease to be human beings if they yield to evil forces.

Soyinka, who condemned the murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt and the Mubi killings, noted that the forces of evil were out to wipe out any trace of enlightenment and creativity in the country.

The Nobel Laureate urged literary minds in the country not to see themselves as authors, writers and readers, but as part of a creative army against the forces that had come to extinct creativity.

He said, “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, the 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.

“Boko Haram and all organisations, all movements that wage war against books, against literacy, against education and enlightenment in any form have declared war, not on the state, but on humanity itself and in spite of such setbacks, in spite of such horrors, we have the responsibility to support and to sustain efforts such as being made by the Rainbow Club and allied societies and organisations.”

He stated that the recognition of Port Harcourt as UNESCO’s World Book Capital was an indication that something was going right in the country.

Soyinka added, “One plea that I want to make to my fellow writers, authors everywhere is that we are not just engaged in the business of writing books; we are part of a large army of creative people.

Earlier, the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, said his administration had been investing in the education of the people of the state.

Represented by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, the governor explained that such investment was aimed at growing a literate citizenry that would be able to take the state to the next level of development.

http://www.punchng.com/news/nigeria-is-at-war-soyinka/

Nigeria we all know @ 52 is crawling, so we should expect anything less. Prof turn prophet pls the pblm we have is our leadership

^Someone old enough to be your grandfather is this guy. oniranu alaileko.

is a nation at war with self

WAR!!!!

Thank God, Prof Soyinka, who is an atheist recognise and believe dt d nation is suffering from forces of darkness and dt d boko haram are d personnel in d force. May God deliver us from these forces of darkness called boko haram and help us to be in d hands of those who are in d and believe in light..................... Amen.

But we already knew it, NO??

This issue here is how do we solve this shit??

by setting up committees?? or by blowing big grammmar??

moonraker: But we already knew it, NO??

This issue here is how do we solve this shit??

by setting up committees?? or by blowing big grammmar??

It's by asking questions on NL.

Ile-Ife:


It's by asking questions on NL.

And how does squeezing your face solve the situation?

greatgod2012: Thank God, Prof Soyinka, who is an atheist recognise and believe dt d nation is suffering from forces of darkness and dt d boko haram are d personnel in d force. May God deliver us from these forces of darkness called boko haram and help us to be in d hands of those who are in d and believe in light..................... Amen.

Just immagine. . .

moonraker:


And how does squeezing your face solve the situation?

How does your not squeezing your face directly or indirectly affect the price of. . .

Nigeria is not at war, she is simply at a crossroads of the hell with demons on her trail...

Shut up there@everyone.
U shld still be sleeping.
*hisses and falls back to bed*

I agree with the Nobel Laurette because he is stating the obvious. The bane of the country however, still remains gross leadership ineptitude and corruption. When issues of corruption and leadership failure are properly addressed, wars & crisis will will disappear as those fighting and killing will have a future and a reason to want to live.

Stating the obvious professor.
War!
War!!
War!!!
Kaboom

*dhtml:

Just immagine. . .

Should I say ''GBAGAUN''?

Thats the simply truth but it pains me that Mr President is not telling us the whole truth. Nigerian should be put into a war footing. How can someone tell me that unless the President Converts to islam and resign that they wont dialogue and this people keep bombing innocent people including under aged children and some one is telling me that we are not heading to war. Surely very soon the anger in the peoples mind will blow up and i doubt if Nigeria can control it

Yes a Nation at war with itself. The war between Good and Evil is within us here just like Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde.



And I pray that unlike the book, evil does not ultimately prevail.

ItsModella: This guy, Soyinka is just stating the obvious.

you ne get reskirt Ooo who be this guy?

ONE THING I LIKE ABOUT THIS MAN PROF.SOYINKA IS THAT, AT ANY POINT IN TIME, HE KNOWS WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO SAY IT.WE WILL WIN THIS WAR. EVIL FORCES WILL NOT OVERCOME US IN JESUS NAME...AMEN.

moonraker: But we already knew it, NO??

This issue here is how do we solve this shit??

by setting up committees?? or by blowing big grammmar??

please help me ask your groundfather. Na must say he go talk.

KINGwax: Shut up there@everyone.
U shld still be sleeping.
*hisses and falls back to bed*

my friend wake and resume work

gudnex22:

please help me ask your groundfather. Na must say he go talk.

GBAGAUN @groundfather

How bout groundnutfahter?

Garri_Activist: GBAGAUN @groundfather

How bout groundnutfahter?

Hehehehehehe

God help us all!!!!

*dhtml:

How does your not squeezing your face directly or indirectly affect the price of. . .

Price of what speak your mind like a man

Garri_Activist: my friend wake and resume work

for where? Rain no dey fall for your side?

Maxymilliano: Nigeria is not at war, she is simply at a crossroads of the hell with demons on her trail...

seconded!! Dnt mind all the pessimist on NL

[quote author=gudnex22]

please help me ask your groundfather. Na must say he go talk.[/quote
Prof. Soyinka didn't only stated D̶̲̥̅̊ problems facing Nigeria but he also proffered a solution by saying that ppl should be creative and imbibe a reading culture. I believe i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ this because a creative mind cannot be a destructive mind.

*dhtml:
WAR!!!!

Do you think its "Rambo" and "Commando" we're talking about?

But truly if you look at it from one angle you might agree that Nigeria is country at war with itself,really between the forces of good and evil,GEJ and his team are trying to give us a brighter future,they are fighting to turn around things in ths country,they want to destroy the old order and give Nigeria and Nigerians a new outlook at life and then create better prospects,but the forces of evil who happen to be benefitting from the old order,from Nigerias former stagnation are fighting real hard to make sure this does not come to pass because they are the beneficiaries of the way things have been since,they are indeed the forces of evil,so we need to give this govt our unilateral support for them to be able to give us a better life.