I saw this in one of the papers- "Soyinka joins the presidential race". Is it true and peradventure it is what do you think?

i don't think so.

This sell out man that took a job from IBB to hush won't even win a village vote

It will be great for democracy. I think he's an incredible man.

Just because one can write a novel does not means he poses the quality of a good leader. please this man should go back to his village and drink palm wine and let the people that knows politics do their thing.

what qualifies one to be an effective leader or politician?

This is an an intelligent man with moral, a man that understands the true meaning of democracy. A man that has pure respct for the law, a man that embraces human rights.

Dude you need to chill out and do your assignment.

Wole Soyinka's qualities are untouchable.

You've got to be carefull, my friend.

i know his qualities are untouchable he was one of the biggest critics of your father IBB as soon as IBB gave him a position in the cabinet what happen? he sell out and join the wagon of all the cronies of your dad. true we can't dispute his knowledge and wisdom, but a man that will succumb low to take a job from the greatest dictator lost my vote and we don't need him in the rat race. Boy go to bed its past your bed time

@Odeku

I dont agree with your write up on Soyinka, Soyinka is one person who commands respect from many people both at home and abroad, where were you during Abacha days, what were your contributions then? I felt bad when I read your comments on him, I respect your views so much but not on Soyinka, we should respect whoever deserves it. I doubt if OBJ that you have been routing for command 10% respect that Soyinka commands from Nigerians, yet you rained insults on him, we should be a bit courteous ok.

lies!

Soyinka no doubt is one of Nigeria's finest leterary icon, in politics sometimes he looks to me like a habitual critic who does not put into consideration practical realities other times his comments are influenced by sentiments. The latest is his views on issues expecially when it has to do with Atiku, people should research if he has formed alliance with Atiku behind the scene.

On contesting presidency, that is pure joke cos he will not even win L.G.A. Chaimanship election in ogun state

It's rather unfortunate that we don't live in a sane and rational environment, that is why some uninformed fool would say Kongi cannot win an election at the ward level!Some rabid, thoughtless, disgusting, inept barking. Anyone can aspire to any office of the land in so far constitutional provisions have been met, and it's rather sad that some befuddled,we-to-know ignoramuses would make mockery of this.Isn't it time we have sensible people leading us instead of kleptocrats and measly people parading themselves as politicians with no definite ideologue?

People can no longer put their point through without abusing others. Now I have a reason to believe that the internet is truely about everything including people coming online to exihibit their lack of home training.

Hehehehe how am enjoying this thread already!! Lmao @ all posts so far!

I havent heard of Soyinka joining the presidential race yet but if it is true then i think that is a missplaced priority on the part of Wole soyinka. Beign a literary icon does not automatically decorate him with the needed leadership skills to run the affairs of a country such as Nigeria. I will advice him to maintain his position as a credible opposition to the government, at least he should learn from Gani Fawehinmi's mistake.

@ Odeku,
Which novel can he write? Are you talking about that small paper and some little piece of rubish he wrote?

Meanwhile, does been a novelist qualifies one as the president of any country? Though in Nigeria, so many funny things can happen. things like having a farmer as our president and more illiterates as sub-ordinates.

Wole want to convince who to vote for him? Me? GOD FORBID

Wole Soyinka in for presidential race that man is too busy for that, or what do you think

Exceptional novelist he may be, but President material I think not.

He has become a professional critic, in the mould of the likes of Chukwumerije, but history has shown that most people like this lack substance and never deliver given the chance.

Gani may even make a better President, though what we need now is a diplomatic, frugal, tested, modest leader. Yar'Adua qualifies and is ahead of the pack. Buhari, as a very last resort. Atiku - well, I only hope that for him it's goverment house to jail house.

Odeku iam totally disapointed in your verdict about Wole Soyinka in as much as i agree that be a critic does not really qualify you to be a good leader, i think i gree with Bigy 1 Obj doesn't command 10% respect that guy command both home and abroad.

@ topic - yea right! *rolls eyes*, MAGNETO FOR PRESIDENT!! _{now thats more like it}

soyinka is not runnign o rumor mongers

magneto:

@ topic - yea right! *rolls eyes*, MAGNETO FOR PRESIDENT!! _{now thats more like it}

LMFAO!

I don't think he has anything to offer politically. I don't think he's all that great either. I think the way we celebrate him far outpaces what he has achieved. He hasn't even turned any of his plays into a movie for the masses.

guys, even if wole or KONGI, is running, presidency is not literature. Criitcs are not good LEADERS, CHECK HISTORY .
ONE TIME PRESIDENT WELSH ,WAS A GREAT  CRITIC, BUT BECAME  A POOR PRESIDENT . SO  wole should hold onnnnnnnnn.do what he knows best criticising.

i want to contribute to discussionhere but finding itdifficult

just signed on some 10 minutes ago

I went through almost all the post here but I must say I am greatly disappointed in some of the comments here. To make a comment about a person like Professor Wole Soyinka, one need to read about him and his works, you need to understand his phylosophy and his contributions to political development of Nigeria. some comments betrayed what I just said, some of us dont even know about Woles work at all, I thought the learned among us should be able to educate the ingnorant ones.

To start with Prof Wole Soyinka after his 70th Birthday has declared that he would have wanted to contest if he was younger than his present age, the inference is that hes old to contest for elective position. so there is no iota of truth in this thread.

Also some are ignorant of his contributions to political development from the time time of civil war to date. pls read one of his works- The Man Died.

Prof Soyinka than anyother person in this country was the force that chase out Abacha, though with other progressive forces, he with others established the famous Radio Kudirat, he mounted intensive campaign against the regime of Sanni Abacha and he used funds he got from lectures he delivered in world renowed Universities to fund that project.

He may not be a good President but I think some comments we made here are unfair to him. I urge us to try and listen to him whenever he speaks. Lets celebrate intelligence, I wonder how many of us have the reading culture so its easy to destroy others.

thanks

i think soyinka should enter the senate instead

It has being posted copiously on this thread, though falsely so that critics don't make good leaders- please i want the relevant historical accounts,albeit contemporary if possible to elucidate this!

I think this playwright should just make a movie. He will have much more impact on the country that way.

----omofineboy


I read with horror, your above piece. Wole is an ordinary man just like you and me. He is no god.

Everybody is entitled to his own opinions. This is democracy. If I feel Wole would not make a good president, I shouldn't be crucified for voicing my opinion. Should I?

Wole himself talks about other people. Yar' adua yesterday described comments credited to him regarding his candidacy as “a curious amuse” . He feel Yar' adua is Obj's stooge. That is his opinion. Yar' adua doesn't feel the same way. So you can see we all have varied opinions? That is the beauty of democracy.

Wole is a literary icon, no doubt about that. Greater literary icons will be born even after his death (he's 70?). So let's not worship him. He's no god. I have read some of his work. I have read THE MAN DIED (the man dies who keeps silent in the face of tyranny). Good piece, but that doesn't make his contribution to the political development of nigeria of more relevance than ours. We all fought for this democracy. Radio Kudriat did not force Abacha out of Aso rock. Our juju men did.

azorjiu:

Radio Kudriat did not force Abacha out of Aso rock. Our juju men did.

heheheeeeee. . . . . .dem don come again o o o o

The man talk rubbish sometyme.he may lose is integrity by dis.he doesnt worth to be politician