I respect this man a lot, but it seems old age is beginning to catch up with him, given some of his recent utterances, such as this latest bombshell, in which he appears to be calling for foreign military intervention to curb the Boko Haram menace in Nigeria.

It seems the esteemed prof has not spent time in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia, to see where such thinking gets you.

United Nations — On the International Day of Peace, Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka visited the United Nations - and called for armed intervention against the terrorist group Boko Haram in his home country of Nigeria.

"This is a violent organisation," Soyika told IPS. "What do you do with them? I am sorry, but you must fight them.

"After his speech, Soyinka spoke to IPS about the situation in his native Nigeria, where the Islamist militant group Boko Haram is responsible for thousands of deaths and the bombings of several churches in Nigeria in recent years. The group seeks to establish sharia law in the country. Their presence is particularly strong in the north of the country.
"We have an organisation which closes down schools, shoots faculty teachers, knocks out children and turns most of the north into an educational wasteland. How can we reach the children there? We must first get rid of Boko Haram," Soyinka lashed out.

"We have a contradiction," he acknowledged. "How do we get rid of Boko Haram? Violence must become involved. That is a dilemma."

http://allafrica.com/stories/201209250865.html

With foreign miltary intervention in Somalia there is a modicum of stability in Somalia and peace and prosperity in Somaliland.In Iraq,the Kurdish region is progressing and Iraq itself is a better country.There is evidence in Afghanistan that it is a advancing as opposed to the Taliban and pre Taliban period. Syria is going to the dogs and there is no foreign intervention there.
The Professor's proposition,if true,will do Nigeria,especially the southern part,a world of good.

Coming after he told GEJ he has "Bad Conscience" ur ulterior motives will soon be unclad...#fillingMyPen

Did he actually use the word foreign military intervention?

[size=15pt]maclatunji!!!, trying to bury your pro Jihadist thread under this ones, right? I see you.[/size]

We have told d retardeen times without number but he woudnt listen, pls professor help us tell him with ur big grammar.....

i swear, soyinka will soon write a poem about Boko Haram..... just wait and see
Alas to the bomb
the shadow of death
their name, full of terror
oh, the devil of the north.....

*Singing* let me put my pen your office*

Wole Soyinka is right. But the truth of this matter is that the northerners are in full support of this Boko Haram, one question we should ask is this, Who are the Boko Haram, their sponsors and what do they want?

I mean you can't possibly declare war on people you have little knowledge of...you can't wage war against ghosts.

Question is...what is boko haram about? Politics? hmmm my fellow Nigerians and Nairalanders, War is coming O!!!, the rage between Christians and muslims in Nigeria is coming sit and try to be unethical.

If we don't open our eyes and become wise, the muslims specifically Hausas and Fulani will turn Nigeria into Afghanistan, they have already started turning it in some northern parts of the country and is spreading like a disease.

Sit there and underestimate the Hausas as peaceful people, take them as a fools, because for so long people have been underestimating the Hausas saying ''the real Hausa man can not hot a fly'' and i laugh, call any one illiterate or ethical this is the reality.

It hurts when your religion or your people are being painted bad image, but this is the question Hausas (muslim) Don't you support Boko Haram? aren't you angry that a Christian is ruling Nigeria?

Prof Soyinka is asking the government to fight boko haram...how ironic!

I think its high time we break up and go our separate ways so this unnecessary hatered, killing and tribalism can end...cos its very obvious that we can no longer live in peace and harmony.

All Hail Biafra!

You are rightly right SIR. Boko haram sponsors are in Jonathan's govt bt he can do them nothing. Sen. Ndume dat was arrested by s.s.s is now a free man, infact is more free dan a crimeless nigerian.

Which FG? The one headed by Retardeen Jonathan?

You are on a long thing Professor

Sir Wole Soyinka, u r d only elder statesman dat is outspoken. They useless one's were begging 4 dialogue but u(wole) is requesting 4 more arms 4 northern nigerian so as 2 crush d brainwashed muslims dat kill 4 a reward 4rm Allah. Sir Wole, i want 2 asure u dat govt is already wining dis war and by God's grace, they must be crushed. No bastard owns 9ja more than us. No boko haram can force islam on our throat. Nobody can islamize nigeria. Nigeria remains Nigeria. Long live Godjones. Long live Baba Wole my mentor. Long live d federal republic of Nigeria

I agree with Wole Soyinka on this. I feel the FG is paying lip service to the issue of terrorism. They're not fighting as hard as they should. By now a total state of emergency should have been declared in the north with a curfew imposed in every nook and cranny. If they can't do it then they should invite the Israeli who have offered their hand of fellowship or the Americans. People can't keep dying and we'll fold our hands and do nothing.

@Rossikk

I believe a intervention(foreign) is needed in the North to combat Boko Haram.

Our Government is infested with BH apologists/supporters and enemies of state. Nothing will be done.

Why this hasn't occurred is that the North is a resource wasteland. No one cares. It still has not assumed the frightening proportion(human rights, genocide and all that) that usually geared UN(US) into action.

In my opinion, Prof Soyinka is very correct and farsighted to call for a intervention. Nothing will come. That's for sure.

For now.

I strongly suggest that the Federal Government of Nigeria should employ the appropriate Global policy on the
Counter-terrorism Diplomacy and Negotiation Global master plans,Because there is unquantifiable degree of love in unity,peace and love.

Let us all think on how to help and support the effort of Mr.President, with collective Aspiration,Stimulate,Relate for a better and peaceful society at large.

Nigerian Leader must wake-up that "Imagination without plans is just a Dream" and all policy makers should think out-side of the box/Agenda.

God bless Federal Govt of Nigeria and The Leaders

I think soyinka shuld beta stay on his lane 'cuz doz abokis no get respect for him kind of proffesor

Kudos to all the winners.

pecopeco: Kudos to all the winners.

Winners of what?? WTF

typical from the op

we should just continue " on top of the situationing " while the nation burns

the frightening increase in crime in the south can also be tied to BH - the incompetence of the police has been highlighted to all aspiring miscreants

taharqa: Did he actually use the word foreign military intervention?

Please help me ask them o.
If actually he used it, then I don't agree with him totally. We may require foreign anti-terrorism expertise in the area of intelligence gathering and training for our secret service. But foreign military intervention will only aid the reputation of the group. With the performance of the men on ground(JTF), we are not facing shortcomings in this containment stage, but the intelligence input the JTF is getting still seems to be poor and slow. Abu Qaqa was not tracked down going by what we read in the dailies. He was just caught in a road block and his identity revealed by the woman with him after he was killed. The accountant was arrested with the help of a bank. How come they keep arresting the top officers without still getting to know the hideout of Shekau.

see what dollars can do to the dignity and self respect of a former freedom fighter - na wah oh - so Soyinka is calling for the invasion of a sovereign nation by the US military just because he is dependant on them for employment? greed no good oh!

As the years go by this man continues to rollover more and more for the west - at 70 something what more is this man looking for in terms of money ? why not live the rest of your life based on honour and integrity? Im so disgusted with this man, this is a man i used to respect when i was a university undergraduate in nigeria - tufiakwa!

he is a cool man

By the time the Boko boys plant 2 grams of carbide for Prof Backyard...

Na "Ejor oh! Ejor oh!!" Prof go begin cry...

Yaribas can feaaaaaarr!!...lol

Fast forward..... Brrr brrr brrr.

Niaja man saying, "one mind tell me say make i do this, the other mind come tell me sayyy make I do that".

How many minds niaja man get ? Time will tell.

I'd say Wipe "em" All

fankasibe: i swear, soyinka will soon write a poem about Boko Haram..... just wait and see
Alas to the bomb
the shadow of death
their name, full of terror
oh, the devil of the north.....

guy u funny die

bokohalal: With foreign miltary intervention in Somalia there is a modicum of stability in Somalia and peace and prosperity in Somaliland.In Iraq,the Kurdish region is progressing and Iraq itself is a better country.There is evidence in Afghanistan that it is a advancing as opposed to the Taliban and pre Taliban period. Syria is going to the dogs and there is no foreign intervention there.
The Professor's proposition,if true,will do Nigeria,especially the southern part,a world of good.

There is no use of FOREIGN in this speech. Or am I reading another thing?

taharqa: Did he actually use the word foreign military intervention?

NOPE. He Didn't. Some nairalander has inserted that word.

mixed feelings

PortHarcourtBoy: By the time the Boko boys plant 2 grams of carbide for Prof Backyard...

Na "Ejor oh! Ejor oh!!" Prof go begin cry...

Yaribas can feaaaaaarr!!...lol

oh fishbrain superman...am sure u will be dancing wen u av such situation in ur hand.