Goodluck Jonathan’s Gift Horse

By Wole Soyinka

This is one gift horse which, contrary to traditional saying, must be inspected thoroughly in the mouth.
Primary from all of us must be a plea to the MKO Abiola family not to misconstrue the protests against the naming of the University of Lagos after their heroic patriarch. Issues must be separated and understood in their appropriate contexts. The family will acknowledge that, among the loudest opposing voices to Jonathan’s gift horse, are those who have clamoured tirelessly that MKO Abiola, the Nigerian nation’s president-elect, be honoured nationally, and in a befitting manner.

Next is my confession to considerable shock that President Goodluck Jonathan did not even think it fit to consult or inform the administrators of the university, including Council and Senate, of his intention to re-name their university for any reason, however laudable. This arbitrariness, this act of disrespect, was a barely tolerated aberration of military governance. It is totally deplorable in what is supposed to be a civilian order.

After that comes the bad-mouthing of MKO Abiola and the Nigerian electorate by President Jonathan who referred to MKO as the “presumed winner” of a historic election. While applauding the president for finally taking the bull by the horn and rendering honour unto whom honour is due, the particularities of this gesture have made it dubious, suspect, and tainted. You do not honour someone while detracting from his or her record of achievement. MKO Abiola was not a presumed winner, but the President-elect of a nation, and thus universally acknowledged.

It is sad, very sad, that after his predecessor who, for eight full years of presidency, could not even bear to utter the name of a man who made his own incumbency possible, along comes someone who takes back with the left hand what the right has offered. However, there is hope. Legalists have claimed that there is a legal flaw to the entire process. The university, solidly backed by other tertiary institutions nation-wide, should immediately proceed to the courts of law and demand a ‘stay of execution’. That should give President Jonathan time to re-consider and perhaps shift his focus to the nation’s capital for institutions begging for rituals of re-naming. After all, it is on record that the House of Assembly did once resolve that the Abuja stadium be named after the man already bestowed the unique title of “Pillar of African Sports”. He deserved that, and a lot more. What he did not deserve is to be, albeit posthumously, the centre of a fully avoidable acrimony, one that has now resulted in the shutting down one of the institutions of learning to whose cause, the cause of learning, President-elect MKO Abiola also made unparalleled private contributions.

Let me end by stressing that my position remains the same as it was when the University of Ife was re-named Obafemi Awolowo University. I deplored it at the time, deplore it till today, have never come to terms with it, and still hope that some day in the not too distant future, that crime against the culture of institutional autonomy will be rectified. Let us not compound the aberrations of the past with provocations in an era that should propel us towards a belated new Age of Enlightenment.
Wole Soyinka

[url=http://saharareporters.com/article/goodluck-jonathan%E2%80%99s-gift-horse-wole-soyinka/]Source[/url]

Let him who have ears listen attentively.

Soyinka expresses my position on this issue lucidly.
Excellent

"Let us not compound the aberrations of the past with provocations in an era that should propel us towards a belated new Age of Enlightenment."

I like this sentence.

I agree with the don.

Kongi said it exactly like it should be said. The "acrimony" sorrounding this issue was totally avoidable. That my president and his advisers failed to see this and work to avoid it isn't surprising to me though.

Absolutely brilliant! Made his case without desecrating the legacies of MKO. Very unlike what many others have done.

[size=18pt]Next is my confession to considerable shock that President Goodluck Jonathan did not even think it fit to consult or inform the administrators of the university, including Council and Senate, of his intention to re-name their university for any reason[/size], however laudable. This arbitrariness, this act of disrespect, was a barely tolerated aberration of military governance. It is totally deplorable in what is supposed to be a civilian order.

Exactly my point.

It was simply rude.

Does GEJ think before he acts?

Is Nigeria now a communist nation?

I strongly disagree with Wole Soyinka on this.

The furore regarding the renaming of Unilag is elitist posturing of the worst kind, dressed up in the garb of democratic protestation. This has nothing to do with anger that the council of the university was not consulted. The university and its senate and governing council do not fund the school. The school is funded by the federal government from the federal purse representing millions of hardworking Nigerians most of whose kids will never enjoy the benfit of a university education let alone a prestigious one like Unilag.

The storm in a tea cup is another example of middle class Nigerians, particularly yoruba ones (the most snobbish and self regarding version and yes i am a Yoruba) refusing to be associated with a person largely revered by the poorer classes. The same happened when Uiversity of Ife was renamed in 1987 in honour of Obafemi Awolowo, when a few hundred students largely of middle class origin demonstrated their objection, while the poor people in the town, carpentars, shoe makers, tailors and others who benefited from awo's reforms celebrated.

This is all about a few priviledged and educated yoruba people wanting to retain what they see as an eleitis label placing them apart from the majority of the population whom they secretly despise. If the school had been named after Barack Obama would they be protesting, even if it was done without consultation - Of course they wouldn't - they'll probably be fantasising about getting an easy visa ride in the American embassy.

Wole Soyinka is a radical and progressive Nigerian but his elitism is a well known flaw which is why he has never inspite of his undoubted courage been able to buod a mass following for his ideas.

Unilag is funded by the majority of the people of this country, not the students or their lecturers. Most ordiany Nigerians respect the sacrifices people like abiola made - they, not the spolit middle class kids kicking up a fuss in Unilag are the majority. The noisy minority in Unilag should be ignored. they will son go back to their Ipads

If they don't like the name when they receive their degrees let them rip them up. They don't own the school, the people do -i've not seen any demonstrations in mushin, shomolu, bere or sabongari against it.

If wole is not happy let him write a poem about his fury. He is a great man, but on this occasion he is wrong

In my opinion, any greatness that could be attributed to MKO Abiola was completely nullified by the level of theft and the disgraceful handling of the ITT contract which was supposed to rebuild Nigeria's telecommunication system. Abiola and ITT ripped us off of billions of dollars without building a single circuit to improve P&T, the old Nigerian communication agency. This, by the way was when the naira was pretty strong.

People like IBB, MKO, OBJ, and others need not be worshiped. IBB and OBJ belong in prison, period. These people and their likes do not deserve to be our heroes, we have quite a few Nigerians who qualify to be real heroes and who have unblemished characters.

I'm surprised that some of the posters from the SW do not find MKO's theft deplorable. Folks need to do a bit of research and discover that billions were spent with absolutely nothing to show for it. SMH

ndu_chucks: In my opinion, any greatness that could be attributed to MKO Abiola was completely nullified by the level of theft and the disgraceful handling of the ITT contract which was supposed to rebuild Nigeria's telecommunication system. Abiola and ITT ripped us off of billions of dollars without building a single circuit to improve P&T, the old Nigerian communication agency. This, by the way was when the naira was pretty strong.

People like IBB, MKO, OBJ, and others need not be worshiped. IBB and OBJ belong in prison, period. These people and their likes do not deserve to be our heroes, [size=18pt]we have quite a few Nigerians who qualify to be real heroes and who have unblemished characters.[/size]

And who are those people?

The wise one has spoken.

SW'ers do not want something just because it benefits them.

It must be properly done, and the motives behind it are crucial.

OAM4J: I agree with the don.

you really agree with the don on this?

what difference does it make? unilag, maulag or malulag?
the university is owned by the federal government...the vice chancellor
was appointed by the federal government. the federal government pays the
salaries of the staff.....are you saying they cannot name their own establishment
any name they so wish?

if you build a house and rent it to tenants, you need their blessings to paint it?
gate it? put a borehole or whatever? i just believe nigerians have their priorities
misplaced. does the change of name devalue the certificate? does it increase the fees
paid by the students? jonathan is indeed a mumu. if i were the president, i would have
deployed a thousand s.w.a.t. teams to make those unruly tools some target practice.

So you'd just go and paint the house without informing the tenant? Without them even knowing of your intention to repaint it?
That's unlikely to happen in a civilized society.

Ileke-IdI:


And who are those people?

If you can't come up with real heroes, why idolize a common thief and try to immortalize him this way? That is a good question for GEJ

Calm down, my brother.

I need to know who these people are, and I do not idolize any Nigerian politician, not even y'allz Soyinka.

I just need you to post a few of those Nigerians you believe should be idolized.

ndu_chucks:

If you can't come up with real heroes, why idolize a common thief and try to immortalize him this way? That is a good question for GEJ

Ileke-IdI:
So you'd just go and paint the house without informing the tenant? Without them even knowing of your intention to repaint it?
That's unlikely to happen in a civilized society.

why not? my house, my property....
i decide solely whatever goes on there. if any
tenant disagrees, he can pack out n leave space for
sensible tenants.

unilag is a property of the federal government.
the students, academic staff, etc are just tenants/labourers.
they are no stake-holders...they can be hired n fired by who??....the same federal government.

Ileke-IdI:
Calm down, my brother.

I need to know who these people are, and I do not idolize any Nigerian politician, not even y'allz Soyinka.

I just need you to post a few of those Nigerians you believe should be idolized.

Our heroes do not need to be politicians. I know you are pulling my legs, in the meantime I challenge you to try to find a Nigerian hero in your neck of the woods, in Academics, medical fields e.t.c and you'd be surprised.

coogar:

you really agree with the don on this?

what difference does it make? unilag, maulag or malulag?
the university is owned by the federal government...the vice chancellor
was appointed by the federal government. the federal government pays the
salaries of the staff.....are you saying they cannot name their own establishment
any name they so wish?

if you build a house and rent it to tenants, you need their blessings to paint it?
gate it? put a borehole or whatever? i just believe nigerians have their priorities
misplaced. does the change of name devalue the certificate? does it increase the fees
paid by the students? jonathan is indeed a mumu. if i were the president, i would have
deployed a thousand s.w.a.t. teams to make those unruly tools some target practice.

Well said (aside from the "target practice" bit).

@ndu chucks,

Oh I see, a question for GEJ.

coogar:

why not? my house, my property....
i decide solely whatever goes on there. if any
tenant disagrees, he can pack out n leave space for
sensible tenants.

unilag is a property of the federal government.
the students, academic staff, etc are just tenants/labourers.
they are no stake-holders...they can be hired n fired by who.....the same federal government.

I'm not saying that you do not have the authority to paint your house as you like, but you cannot just go ahead and paint without notifying the tenants.
There's usually a signed contract.

Now knowing that Unilag is FG owned, it still does not excuse the disrespectful steps GEJ took towards renaming the school.
According to your logic, since it's FG owned, if the students and staff don't like it, then they can leave. So if they do leave, what exactly is there to own?

Looking at this at a larger angle, GEJ is ruling the nation without regards to its occupants. May 29th was supposed to be about celebrating democracy, so is democracy not about the people? Is democracy not about serving the people?

GBAM!!

ndu_chucks:

Our heroes do not need to be politicians. I know you are pulling my legs, in the meantime I challenge you to try to find a Nigerian hero in your neck of the woods, in Academics, medical fields e.t.c and you'd be surprised.

I swaer, I am seriously not pulling your legs. I'd like you to name those politicians because no name came to my mind.

Think up something, nudy_chucks. I'm waiting

PapaBrowne: Absolutely brilliant! Made his case without desecrating the legacies of MKO. Very unlike what many others have done.

Papabroweeee !!! Stop lying this is the same bloody thing I explain to you in the previous thread or did I not ?

So stop pretending here

I will take Prof. Soyinka's word over yours anyday. As I said on another thread it is neither snobishness nor lack of consultation - although the latter is part of it.

The real issue is that of the "curse of the familiar" and attachment. Many generations of students and teachers are deeply invested in the name "University of Lagos". This is unlike the sparingly used and forgotten airports and stadia, which some may actually consider more befitting, but have little sentimental value.

GEJ has just nullified decades of emotional investment. In addition, like Prof. Soyinka I greatly doubt President GEJ's motive.

President GEJ has shown himself to be a calculating political operator, who is extremely vindictive and passive-aggressive to boot. Even if his motives were pure, and I strongly doubt it, this token gesture earns him no marks in the SW as long as he continues his open and hidden marginalization agenda.

Please understand that because the FG gives your child a lifetime schorlaship doesn't give him the right to rename your child any time he wants. Also, what is the FG if not a representative of our opinions, thoughts, and desires. When the head of that institution begins to consider our opinions of no consequence, he also becomes of no consequence in our eyes - I know that is not the case in Nigeria, but that is the way it should be.

And please refrain from casting such a wide net on the popularity of Prof. Soyinka's ideas. We all know Nigerians of today have a rather peculiar disdain for deep thought or what you call "elitism". It is this disdain that makes us easy-prey to the deceivers and pseudo-intellectuals, selling shoe-less stories without substance.

There is nothing elitist in Prof. Soyinka's thoughts, life and words.

odumorun 1: I strongly disagree with Wole Soyinka on this.

The furore regarding the renaming of Unilag is elitist posturing of the worst kind, dressed up in the garb of democratic protestation. This has nothing to do with anger that the council of the university was not consulted. The university and its senate and governing council do not fund the school. The school is funded by the federal government from the federal purse representing millions of hardworking Nigerians most of whose kids will never enjoy the benfit of a university education let alone a prestigious one like Unilag.

The storm in a tea cup is another example of middle class Nigerians, particularly yoruba ones (the most snobbish and self regarding version and yes i am a Yoruba) refusing to be associated with a person largely revered by the poorer classes. The same happened when Uiversity of Ife was renamed in 1987 in honour of Obafemi Awolowo, when a few hundred students largely of middle class origin demonstrated their objection, while the poor people in the town, carpentars, shoe makers, tailors and others who benefited from awo's reforms celebrated.

This is all about a few priviledged and educated yoruba people wanting to retain what they see as an eleitis label placing them apart from the majority of the population whom they secretly despise. If the school had been named after Barack Obama would they be protesting, even if it was done without consultation - Of course they wouldn't - they'll probably be fantasising about getting an easy visa ride in the American embassy.

Wole Soyinka is a radical and progressive Nigerian but his elitism is a well known flaw which is why he has never inspite of his undoubted courage been able to buod a mass following for his ideas.

Unilag is funded by the majority of the people of this country, not the students or their lecturers. Most ordiany Nigerians respect the sacrifices people like abiola made - they, not the spolit middle class kids kicking up a fuss in Unilag are the majority. The noisy minority in Unilag should be ignored. they will son go back to their Ipads

If they don't like the name when they receive their degrees let them rip them up. They don't own the school, the people do -i've not seen any demonstrations in mushin, shomolu, bere or sabongari against it.

If wole is not happy let him write a poem about his fury. He is a great man, but on this occasion he is wrong

coogar:

you really agree with the don on this?

what difference does it make? unilag, maulag or malulag?
the university is owned by the federal government...the vice chancellor
was appointed by the federal government. the federal government pays the
salaries of the staff.....are you saying they cannot name their own establishment
any name they so wish?

if you build a house and rent it to tenants, you need their blessings to paint it?
gate it? put a borehole or whatever? i just believe nigerians have their priorities
misplaced. does the change of name devalue the certificate? does it increase the fees
paid by the students? jonathan is indeed a mumu. if i were the president, i would have
deployed a thousand s.w.a.t. teams to make those unruly tools some target practice.

did it follow due process, Yes or No !

Ileke-IdI:


I swaer, I am seriously not pulling your legs. I'd like you to name those politicians because no name came to my mind.

Think up something, nudy_chucks. I'm waiting

I can't name a politician that fits the bill at the moment. That is why I told you in an earlier post that we should be looking in the Academic areas, medical professions, etc for real heroes. Abi you are trying to put me on the G spot ni?

Well, Ileke-Idi, you should idolize Prof. Soyinka, if you are into idolizing, that is

Ileke-IdI:
Calm down, my brother.

I need to know who these people are, and I do not idolize any Nigerian politician, not even y'allz Soyinka.

I just need you to post a few of those Nigerians you believe should be idolized.

ndu_chucks:


I can't name a politician that fits the bill at the moment. That is why I told you in an earlier post that we should be looking in the Academic areas, medical professions, etc for real heroes. Abi you are trying to put me on the G spot ni?

LOL, when you think of one, let me know


PS: He/she does not have to be a politician.

koruji: Well, Ileke-Idi, you should idolize Prof. Soyinka, if you are into idolizing, that is

There is nothing to idolize about Soyinka (Pre-Nig/Biaf war)

GEJ can do anything he wishes with the name of Unilag Maulag.
If anyone deslikes it, they can build their own.

I am very happy Abiola has been immortalised.
He lived in Lagos, worked in Unilag, carried out the struggle in Lagos, was arrested in Lagos, many died for his mandate in Lagos, his wife Kudirat was shot dead in Lagos, Abiola's Concord newspaper house was burnt down and closed in Lagos, Alex Ibru was shot in Lagos over June 12, Guardian newspaper was burnt and closed in Lagos, Abacha attacked the BBC transmitter in Lagos.

Blood flowed like water in Lagos.

Many people don't know the gravity of the rejection of MKO. They really don't know.

Beaf:

Well said (aside from the "target practice" bit).

nah - some people need to be made scapegoats.
they closed down the whole city today....blocked the whole 3rd
mainland bridge.....because their uni was renamed...i mean
who cares? people would still refer to it as unilag until
our generation f@cks off the planet.

Ileke-IdI:

I'm not saying that you do not have the authority to paint your house as you like, but you cannot just go ahead and paint without notifying the tenants.
There's usually a signed contract.

where in the tenancy agreement does it say i cannot make changes in
the structure of the building? the owner is the owner. he has the
right to do whatever on his property as long as he does not bring
any harm to his tenants. renaming brings no harm. he named it
mko abiola(who must have donated billions of naira to the same institution).

Now knowing that Unilag is FG owned, it still does not excuse the disrespectful steps GEJ took towards renaming the school.
According to your logic, since it's FG owned, if the students and staff don't like it, then they can leave. So if they do leave, what exactly is there to own?

they can close it down and turn it into a zoological garden.
thank feck, the lagoon is behind the school. it would be a perfect tourist attraction.
there's still unibadan, uni of ife, uniben, uniport, ado bayero and the federal govt owns them all.
they wouldn't lose any sleep over unilag which is a glorified whorehouse anyways.

Looking at this at a larger angle, GEJ is ruling the nation without regards to its occupants. May 29th was supposed to be about celebrating democracy, so is democracy not about the people? Is democracy not about serving the people?

and he named it after their hero. how many lagosians laid their lives down for abiola
in 93/94? even when he died in 98? they must be hundreds of thousands! so jonathan
decided to honour the man that fought for democracy in nigeria a university and the students
are protesting like ingrates. he didn't name it babangida uni, abacha uni, chukwumerije uni or
nzeribe uni? i dunno where this aggression is coming from - probably grudges nursed against
jonathan since the subsidy removal.

alj harem:
did it follow due process, Yes or No !

which yeye due process?

Beaf: GEJ can do anything he wishes with the name of Unilag Maulag.
If anyone deslikes it, they can build their own.

I am very happy Abiola has been immortalised.
He lived in Lagos, worked in Unilag, carried out the struggle in Lagos, was arrested in Lagos, many died for his mandate in Lagos, his wife Kudirat was shot dead in Lagos, Abiola's Concord newspaper house was burnt down and closed in Lagos, Alex Ibru was shot in Lagos over June 12, Guardian newspaper was burnt and closed in Lagos, Abacha attacked the BBC transmitter in Lagos.

Blood flowed like water in Lagos.

Many people don't know the gravity of the rejection of MKO. They really don't know.

You never cease to amaze me with the length you rise to lick GEJ's arse.

If I recall correctly, were you not the same person using June 12 as a joke on an Aregbesola thread? "May 12 is now June 12" or something like that.

You're really distasteful and so fake . . . . So fake it's very disheartening. That's why I plead anyone to take caution while reading your jargons.

Can you for once make your point without displaying your god-view of President GEJ.

For the upteenth time, GEJ cannot do "anything he wishes". There will always be consequences for anything anybody does, talkless of someone who is supposed to represent the desires and hopes of 160 million.

GEJ didn't build University of Lagos, and in 3 years time he will lose the power to do anything like this.

That is not to far from here - just look at how fast the last one year disappeared into history.

Beaf: GEJ can do anything he wishes with the name of Unilag Maulag.
If anyone deslikes it, they can build their own.

I am very happy Abiola has been immortalised.
He lived in Lagos, worked in Unilag, carried out the struggle in Lagos, was arrested in Lagos, many died for his mandate in Lagos, his wife Kudirat was shot dead in Lagos, Abiola's Concord newspaper house was burnt down and closed in Lagos, Alex Ibru was shot in Lagos over June 12, Guardian newspaper was burnt and closed in Lagos, Abacha attacked the BBC transmitter in Lagos.

Blood flowed like water in Lagos.

Many people don't know the gravity of the rejection of MKO. They really don't know.