Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has denied describing Igbo as people who vote based on their stomach.

Some online media had quoted Soyinka as saying Igbo were politically naive while delivering a lecture titled ‘Predicting Nigeria, Electoral Ironies’ at Harvard University Hutchins Centre for African and African American Research in the United States.

He was quoted as saying “Igbo remained unrepentant and resolute towards their strategic objective of secession at worst; or a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction at best.”

However, Soyinka said in a statement on Thursday that it was unfortunate that people could tell lies against him.

The playwright described those peddling the rumour as morons who have ulterior motives.

He said his entire lecture delivered at Harvard University was recorded on video and anyone who was interested could access it on the Internet.

He said: "I have just read a statement attributed to me on something called The Cable, a news outlet, evidently one of the Internet infestations. My lecture at the Hutchins Centre, Harvard University, was video recorded. Anyone who believes what I am alleged to have said must be a slowpoke – repeat, a slowpoke. It is demeaning, sickening and boring to have to deal with these cowards who cannot fight their own battles but must fasten their imbecilic pronouncements on others. Only the mentally retarded will credit this comment attributed to me regarding the Ndigbo voting pattern in the last elections. I strongly suspect the author of this despicable concoction, and may make a further statement, once the source is verified.” the statement read


source: http://www.punchng.com/news/soyinka-blasts-online-media-denies-insulting-igbo/

I swear down, dis soyinka guy no deserve nobel price
Wetin d guy don write sef
Lion and d ....... I don forget d name
He's a shame, he shld go learn from d Achebe's
Say no to "change"
We nid transformation
I pray and hope we won't regret voting out transformation

But why would someone sit in his/her house and carry fake news, mehn e no easy to be a celebrity o

eeeeeeeeeeee, handwork of APC members. they wanted Ndigbo to abandon Jonathan but Igbos refused.

I thought as much,Soyinka will not be so stupid to make such a comment.

l knew he would deny it.They always deny it.Anyways time to modify some unsavoury comments l made in the other thread thanks to that ngeneukwuenu

J

slowpokes. i like that

Obviously that shaky article was a lie, as I said. From the man who ventured into Biafra during the war? You guys need to verify things before blasting legends who are way above your ethnic squabbles. "Internet infestations" LOL.

Does that mean the news was fabricated? I'll like to see the video

OREMUSSANCTUS:
I swear down, dis soyinka guy no deserve nobel price
Wetin d guy don write sef
Lion and d ....... I don forget d name
He's a shame, he shld go learn from d Achebe's
Say no to "change"
We nid transformation
I pray and hope we won't regret voting out transformation

at dis rate, you will soon be chained in yabaleft

ozoigbondu:
l knew he would deny it.They always deny it

Anything to help you get over the loss of Jonathan is jumped at by you including denigrating a man whom the world celebrated before you were out of diapers What other lie will you and your friends propagate?

That pope Francis said all Igbos are beneath him? So you can attack the Vatican?

You, your friends and the other Yoruba bigots should keep stoking the flames of discord.....

I hope you'll be around to carry the calabash of hot coals when it sets?

And NgeneUkwenu was swearing that the article is true..sometimes you just have to draw a line between pure politics and trying to curry favour by engaging in extreme foolishness

asha80:
And NgeneUkwenu was swearing that the article is true..sometimes you just have to draw a line between pure politics and trying to curry favour by engaging in extreme foolishness

The internet, unfortunately, is sometimes a leveller between greats and zoo animals.

This is good. let us ensure we give reasonable time and investigate properly before we start calling respectable Nigerians unprintable names.

Ngeneukwenu, change your moniker to shamekwenu. Go and tell that devil that tried to use you to destroy this country that he has failed and will always fail.

Thanks Prof for refuting the story promptly.
Those mischief makers who are bent on causing disaffection between one tribe and the other should pls stop the madness. War will do no one good. Stop the hate campaigns.
To commentators, pls lets verify sources before we begin to call names and add fuel to little fire.
Though we speak different languages, we are one; created by the same God; together in one country called Nigeria. AT LEAST FOR NOW.
LET'S RESPECT ONE ANOTHER.

This Man is always trying to appear on the screen

He's a Two-Mouthed fellow
His Senility is Now beginning to worry the Concerned Citizens

oyeludef:
at dis rate, you will soon be chained in yabaleft

I'm his doctor. We are doing our best.

aderonila18:
Igbo people come and listen o, you guys are so easy to manipulate. How can a Nobel price winner make such a speech in Harvard and you mumus will believe that's possible

You need to grow up above the level of insulting a tribe. It does you no good. Make your point and be civil.

ozoigbondu:


NgeneUkwenu is nothing but a born throw away igbo wannabe hell bent on dividing the already divided nation to please his masters

But you believed it and still believe Soyinka is playing to the gallery or what is the essence of this post below?

ozoigbondu:
l knew he would deny it.They always deny it.

EUROBOMBER:
I am beginning to suspect that there are some forces that are hell bent on starting some kind of war in Nigeria. They thought Nigeria would go up in flames because of the presidential elections but were soundly disappointed.

If you observe the way things have been going lately you will notice that some forces are trying to fan the flames of ethnic hatred in Nigeria and start a conflagration.

They will always fail in jesus name.

The question is "what does Seun and the mods who are obviously Nigerians have to gain from instigating civil war?

How could adults with brains believe that Soyinka

Who went to jail because of his stance on Biafra

Who was at variance with the great Awo over Biafra

Who was chief negotiator for Niger Delta militants in their amnesty negotiations with the FG

Who has always being identified with the oppressed

Will now descend so low into ethnic profiling at a prestigious institution like Harvard? How could a thinking human believe such?

They are exactly what Soyinka described them as: SLOWPOKES.

stabillo:
Professor Wole Soyinka has released a statement denying reports that he trashed the Igbos during his lecture at Harvard University last week. Soyinka was quoted to have said 'the Igbos voted based on their stomach and suffer from incurable money mindedness'. The Nobel Laureate says he never made a statement like that and anyone who believes he did is a slowpoke. Lol. His statement below...


"I have just read a statement attributed to me on something called The Cable, a news outlet, evidently one of the Internet infestations. My lecture at the Hutchins Centre, Harvard University, was video recorded. Anyone who believes what I am alleged to have said must be a slowpoke – repeat, a slowpoke. It is demeaning, sickening and boring to have to deal with these cowards who cannot fight their own battles but must fasten their imbecilic pronouncements on others. Only the mentally retarded will credit this comment attributed to me regarding the Ndigbo voting pattern in the last elections. I strongly suspect the author of this despicable concoction, and may make a further statement, once the source is verified.” the statement read


source: http://lindaikeji..nl/2015/05/soyinka-denies-blasting-igbos-says.html?m=1

I carefully refused to comment on the other thread until I heard from the horses mouth. Definitely, a major lecture of that nature would be recorded on video and very soon, the videos would be out on Youtube. I never believed Prof Soyinka could have made such a needless statement in public; some individuals are just well above certain things.

It is really sad that some unscrupulous entities would just sit behind a desk and conjure inflammatory statements to disturb public peace and cause disaffection... and now someone would tell me it is wrong if such a website is closed or the publishers arrested?

Waiting for Taiwo George (the Reporter) or Simon Kolawole (publisher of TheCable), to reveal the original source of the quoted remarks.

A word that we should all be careful and take time before we believe everrythung just because its on the internet.

He would never say such a thing.
Seun the old thread should be closed.

the cable news owe a retraction and also fire the reporter who cooked up the story.
this is their twitter handle; lets bombard them with complaints; https://twitter.com/simonkolawole

i just knew it, Wole Soyinka wouldnt say such, the man that defended the igbos during the civil war, that is risked his life would now suddenly come out and say those words this is someone that did not publicly congratulate Buhari.

This is one reason why i hate Nigerian Journalist, they are as corrupt as our politicians. The annoying thing is that they wouldnt even apologise or verify any news

God bless you sir.