LAGOS — Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka on Tuesday announced plans to launch a new political party after years of harshly criticising corruption and mismanagement in the oil-rich nation.
In brief comments at an event to commemorate the renowned writer's 76th birthday, Nigeria's only Nobel laureate said he hoped to form a party of "progressives" to contest elections expected early next year

The author of "The Swamp Dwellers" criticised the current generation of leaders in Nigeria, where oil wealth has been squandered and the government has failed to provide basic services, such as sufficient electricity,

"My generation has failed the nation," he said, pledging to launch the party in September and calling it an "organ of collaboration for progressive forces".

Soyinka, who won the Nobel literature prize in 1986, urged Nigerians to join the new party to unseat the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), which has been in office since May 1999 following the country's return to civilian rule.

Tuesday's event in his honour also featured a lecture by the ex-head of the country's anti-graft agency, Nuhu Ribadu, who returned to Nigeria recently after going into exile last year.

He had fled Nigeria after surviving an assassination bid, allegedly over his anti-graft crusade in a country ranked as one of the world's most corrupt by Transparency International.

"Corruption has made it difficult for the country to give adequate protection to its only source of revenue: petroleum and gas," he said.
"The result is that today, Nigeria has one of the lowest per capital incomes in the world."

He said "political leaders in the last 30 years have converted such revenue to sources of easy personal wealth, "
Ribadu, a retired policeman, was appointed chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in 2001 but was removed in controversial circumstances six years later.


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If he can get other progressives with him, then he has my support. I hope Wole Soyinka succeeds.

Isn't this a bit late? Well, go for it dude!

not a bad idea but how efficient the party could be is the big deal.we've got a lot of fakers out there that would sink the party.soyinka should watch out

Kobo?

What is late? It's never too late

EzeUche:

If he can get other progressives with him, [b]then [/b]he has my support. I hope Wole Soyinka succeeds.

Then?

We need younger generations like you as "other" progressives.

We need younger generations like you as "other" progressives

tribalists don't make good politicians which ezeuche happens to be one.he would prefer an ibo dominated party.

~Bluetooth:

tribalists don't make good politicians which ezeuche happens to be one.he would prefer an ibo dominated party.

No o. . . . EzeUche wants to marry a Yoruba chick That 'doesnt' make him a tribalist

Unless is Oduduwa people Party - then he should sit his old a-ss down.

what is happening in his own state- ie the state he STILL lives in . . .

lol

If he can stay to what he stands for and what he blvs in, then, i guess there might be a party after all for other people to belong to

I would never vote fro dis yoruba (i d i ot)

oponu man

sjeezy8:

I would never vote fro dis yoruba

oponu man

What is it?

What exactly has Soyinka done wrong?


You hate him but you loff Obj and IBB, something is wrong here

Ileke-IdI:

What is it?

What exactly has Soyinka done wrong?


You hate him but you loff Obj and IBB, something is wrong here

whats are you saying I dont like Obj he is the same as Wole [b]slow[/b]yinka- yoruba people no dey mind their own business.

sjeezy8:

whats are you saying I dont like Obj he is the same as Wole [b]slow[/b]yinka- yoruba people no dey mind their own business.

Nigerians are so hard to satisfy.

But how is this not his business? That's why Nigeria is still not developed.

When you have a man trying to encourage the young generations into doing their part as a citizen, to get involve in politics. . . . people still talk what they want to talk.

Wasn't it a few days ago that a list of NLers were criticizing PDP?

Ileke-IdI:

Nigerians are so hard to satisfy.

But how is this not his business? That's why Nigeria is still not developed.

When you have a man trying to encourage the young generations into doing their part as a citizen, to get involve in politics. . . . people still talk what they want to talk.

Wasn't it a few days ago that a list of NLers were criticizing PDP?

sharrap he has his own problems in his own town he should face. Instead of trying to have a popularity contest in Nigeria with Obasanjo.

I cant wait till federalism so these idiot yoruba people like Soyinka, Obj and co . . . . can get back to their own places of living instead of trying to save the Whole fuckin Nigeria.

~Bluetooth:

tribalists don't make good politicians which ezeuche happens to be one.he would prefer an ibo dominated party.

You are the true tribalist. I have no problem supporting Wole Soyinka. I even give this man praise which he so rightfully deserves. See this is a true Igbo man supporting Wole Soyinka. I don't care if he is Yoruba, the man has integrity! And we Igbos support people with integrity.

sjeezy8,

OBJ was trying to save anyone. He was in it for himself. He didn't care about the rest of you Yorubas. That is why he prevented any Yoruba from getting as much exposure as him in true Yoruba fashion.

EzeUche:

sjeezy8,

OBJ was trying to save anyone. He was in it for himself. He didn't care about the rest of you Yorubas. That is why he prevented any Yoruba from getting as much exposure as him in true Yoruba fashion.

EzeUche:

You are the true tribalist. I have no problem supporting Wole Soyinka. I even give this man praise which he so rightfully deserves. See this is a true Igbo man supporting Wole Soyinka. I don't care if he is Yoruba, the man has integrity! And we Igbos support people with integrity.

You're a funny kid, you know.

sjeezy8:

sharrap he has his own problems in his own town he should face. Instead of trying to have a popularity contest in Nigeria with Obasanjo.

What are his problems?

Dude, you're prolly the only person who cares about OBJ.

So trying to save Nigeria is now a pop contest?

Ileke-IdI:

You're a funny kid, you know.

Isn't true Yoruba fashion the same as living in a Machiavellian world? lol

Once you get to the top of the mountain, make sure all rivals are subdued?

Do or die?

No.


I'm a Yoruba and def dont fit into your mentality.

Ileke-IdI:

No.


I'm a Yoruba and def dont fit into your mentality.

Of course you don't cause you are a woman. Politics is mostly for men if I am not mistaken. There are a few Iron ladies but they act like men.

Ileke-IdI:

You're a funny kid, you know.
What are his problems?

Dude, you're prolly the only person who cares about OBJ.

So trying to save Nigeria is now a pop contest?

Uhh im actually talking about Wole Soyinka and fuk Nigeria! I waiting to break up.

EzeUche:

You are the true tribalist. I have no problem supporting Wole Soyinka. I even give this man praise which he so rightfully deserves. See this is a true Igbo man supporting Wole Soyinka. I don't care if he is Yoruba, the man has integrity! And we Igbos support people with integrity.

are you sure or you are just  it for saying sake.the few ibo on the political spot hardly form alliance with the yoruba especially those in the opposition party.Ac cuts across yoruba to edo state but hell no way would ppA or Aga cross their boundary.

Ileke-IdI:

^Sexist. 

I am just being realistic my dear. Politics is not for a woman. You lifegivers should not get involved in that dirty business unless you are one of those Iron ladies.

~Bluetooth:

are you sure or you are just  it for saying sake.the few ibo on the political spot hardly form alliance with the yoruba especially those in the opposition party.Ac cuts across yoruba to edo state but hell no way would ppA or Aga cross their boundary.

Igbos deal with Ibibio, Ijaws, Efik, Ogoni, Calabari, Kalabari, Idoma, Igala and other easterners. Sometimes Urhobo as well.

Wole Soyinka would get wide support from the Igbo since he has always been a friend of the Igbo. It must be something in that Yoruba bloodline of his that he shares with Fela Kuti and others. These people have been Pan-African unlike the rest of the Yoruba population.

EzeUche:

I am just being realistic my dear. Politics is not for a woman. You lifegivers should not get involved in that dirty business unless you are one of those Iron ladies.

I am, havent you noticed?

Wole Soyinka would get wide support from the Igbo since he has always been a friend of the Igbo. It must be something in that Yoruba bloodline of his that he shares with Fela Kuti and others. These people have been Pan-African unlike the rest of the Yoruba population.

Stop being a tribalist on my thread, Uchenna.

Thank you.

EzeUche:

I am just being realistic my dear. Politics is not for a woman. You lifegivers should not get involved in that dirty business unless you are one of those Iron ladies.

Igbos deal with Ibibio, Ijaws, Efik, Ogoni, Calabari, Kalabari, Idoma, Igala and other easterners. Sometimes Urhobo as well.

Wole Soyinka would get wide support from the Igbo since he has always been a friend of the Igbo. It must be something in that Yoruba bloodline of his that he shares with Fela Kuti and others. These people have been Pan-African unlike the rest of the Yoruba population.

Dumbest shiot I ever saw- are they not yoruba or from heaven. . . . I still dont know any igbo who has done something unselfish on behalf of non- easterners. . . .

~Bluetooth:

are you sure or you are just  it for saying sake.the few ibo on the political spot hardly form alliance with the yoruba especially those in the opposition party.Ac cuts across yoruba to edo state but hell no way would ppA or Aga cross their boundary.

PPD? ppA? GGD? AGA?  WDH?

sjeezy8:

Dumbest shiot I ever saw- are they not yoruba or from heaven. . . . I still dont know any igbo who has done something unselfish on behalf of non- easterners. . . .

Well for all you know, they could have some Igbo in them, due to their slave ancestry. The small drop of Igbo blood if it is there, may be good for them.

Does the name Chinua Achebe ring a bell?

Ileke-IdI:

PPD? ppA? GGD? AGA?  WDH?

Let me guess, only AC and PDP that you know? Typical Yoruba. Don't know about the rest of Nigeria.

EzeUche:

Well for all you know, they could have some Igbo in them, due to their slave ancestry. The small drop of Igbo blood if it is there, may be good for them.

Does the name Chinua Achebe ring a bell?

you do know Awolowo, Obj, Mko abiola, Soyinka are from the same place right?