This is a Press Statement by Professor Wole Soyinka on the issues between himself, Patience Jonathan and other matters

In Public Interest, in order to eliminate all further distraction and enable the nation to concentrate on issues that affect the democratic pursuit, it is necessary to make the following information available:

Before the press conference held by Femi Falana and myself – that is, even before the Rivers Assembly fracas – I had been canvassed by opposing sides of the face-off, both via telephone and physically. One such visit, perhaps the most significant, was made by a Special Adviser in the presidency who outlined what can be regarded as the official rationale for the Governors’ Forum election debacle. In the process of this exchange, he did make certain complaints against Governor Rotimi Amaechi, including charges of a conflict of interests over certain resources. This was implied as the root of division between the Governors’ Forum and the Presidency.

I wrote down the details, informed the emissary that I would pass on these accusations to Governor Amaechi – which I did. That Amaechi hotly denied them and offered contradicting facts, which he urged me to verify, remained, and remains utterly irrelevant to the democratic core of the conflict – and this has been made clear to all interventionists: Keyed into this core are:

(i) the arithmetics of democracy involved in figures 16 and 19 at the time, and now, with increased confidence in impunity, the figures 27 and 5.

(ii) whether or not it is democratic , even cultured proceeding that a state governor is barred from public access anywhere within his own zone of constitutional authority, with the massive security apparatus of the centre, on behalf of an unelected individual.

Even after the Rivers crisis has been resolved, this notorious proceeding will not be permitted to fester unchallenged.

For the rest, since beneath the surface of most Nigerian conflicts will be found inordinate greed for public resources, it is perhaps pertinent to remind ourselves that Oil is not the only marvel to emerge from the Delta swamps. There are also exotic creatures – mermaids, manatees, even mammy watas and hippopotami. However, unlike crude oil, which can be refined, you can extract a hippopotamus from the swamps, but you cannot take the swamp out of the hippopotamus.

http://omojuwa.com/2013/07/did-professor-wole-soyinka-just-call-dame-patience-jonathan-a-hippopotamus/

be right back. This is too lng, let me get ma space

While we all know who the hippopotamus is, I am more curious to know who the erudite Prof. labels as Mammy watas, manatees and mermaids.

Patience should have held her patience and dared not reply the Kongi himself. I hope she has learnt her lesson now.

let me go out for lunch, will be right back.

I read that statement of WS' in the papers this morning, and, while we may all rightly criticize the first lady and her uncouth ways, the Hippo remark from WS was absolutely overboard, low, childish and greatly diminishes him in the sight of any right thinking person.

If not literature, what else is this blood*y insignificant slowpoke known for.


Why would this man man want people to tell him about himself!

Ru*bbish. Just shut up already

Pataki: There are also exotic creatures – mermaids, manatees, even mammy watas and hippopotami. However, unlike crude oil, which can be refined, you can extract a hippopotamus from the swamps, but you cannot take the swamp out of the hippopotamus.

LWKMD JIZOX!!!

Please kindly tell wole to Insult pej if he want to insult her as it is the wont of his tribes men to always insult people and he should stop insulting women.
Criticisim is different from insult.
.
If wole needs an interpreter to explain to people what he is saying then the purpose of COMMUNICATION SKILLS IS DEAD AND SHOULD BE THROWN TO PIGS. Somebody should call wole to order he is disgracing him self

He clearly did but its really unnecessary. Prof needs to put the matter to rest.

Omexonomy: Please kindly tell wole to Insult pej if he want to insult her as it is the wont of his tribes men to always insult people and he should stop insulting women.
Criticisim is different from insult.
.
If wole needs an interpreter to explain to people what he is saying then the purpose of COMMUNICATION SKILLS IS DEAD AND SHOULD BE THROWN TO PIGS. Somebody should call wole to order he is disgracing him self

Be lady first, before you can be a first lady - how is that an insult women

A mere domestic appendage to power - how is that an insult to women

When he probably infers Dame as a hippopotamus, that I regard as an insult to her and not to women in general.

I listened to radio this morning and heard the word hippopotami. never knew it's the singular word for hippopotamus. Soyinka no go kill me with engrish!

How does PEJ = Hippopotamus?
Prof was inferring that politicians will always be politicians.
This woman dey fall hand true true!

[color=][/color][color=#000099][/color]
when read in between the lines, it is correct to suggest Prof Called PEJ "a hippo". But she walks like one anyway.

berem: I listened to radio this morning and heard the word hippopotami. never knew it's the singular word for hippopotamus. Soyinka no go kill me with engrish!

YOU HAVE LEARNT SOMETHING.
THAT IS WHY WE STILL NEED MANDELA, SOYINKA AND ....................WWW.COM. THATS ALL.

Prof did not insult women

Prof did not insult a woman


Prof did not insult a Lady






































Prof insulted a Hippo

O

berem: I listened to radio this morning and heard the word hippopotami. never knew it's the singular word for hippopotamus. Soyinka no go kill me with engrish!

You mean "plural"?

Pataki: While we all know who the hippopotamus is, I am more curious to know who the erudite Prof. labels as Mammy watas, manatees and mermaids.

It's likely that kongi did not mean that bit in reference to specific persons, but devised it as a deft feint to disguise the the right jab that he threw at the First Lady in the concluding line.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with public figures passing stinging remarks about one another every now and then; indeed that sort of thing is to be encouraged as it often proves to be extremely entertaining for neutrals like me. The only problem with this otherwise healthy hatred between public figures is the utterly distasteful manner in which Nigerians prefer to go about it.

'X is a retàrd'; 'W is an embarrassment'; 'So and so is the product of a gày marriage'; and other similarly crude and classless insults that are annoying without being amusing. This kind of animosity is unacceptable, for it is much too boring.

There is no doubt at all that Soyinka has very tacitly equated Dame J to an oversized, slightly stupíd amphibious animal, and while it would perhaps be proper to rebuke him for bickering endlessly with about everyone, you just have to admire the style with which this rejoinder is delivered. The only faults I find with it are the decidedly torturous diction and painfully convoluted prose that have come to be his trademark.

Nickydrake:

It's likely that kongi did not mean that bit in reference to specific persons, but devised it as a deft feint to disguise the the right jab that he threw at the First Lady in the concluding line.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with public figures passing stinging remarks about one another every now and then; indeed that sort of thing is to be encouraged as it often proves to be extremely entertaining for neutrals like me. The only problem with this otherwise healthy hatred between public figures is the utterly distasteful manner in which Nigerians prefer to go about it.

'X is a retàrd'; 'W is an embarrassment'; 'So and so is the product of a gày marriage'; and other similarly crude and classless insults that are annoying without being amusing. This kind of animosity is unacceptable, for it is much too boring.

There is no doubt at all that Soyinka has very tacitly equated Dame J to an oversized, slightly stupíd amphibious animal, and while it would perhaps be proper to rebuke him for bickering endlessly with about everyone, you just have to admire the style with which this rejoinder is delivered. The only faults I find with it are the decidedly torturous diction and painfully convoluted prose that have come to be his trademark.

That was the best part for me