Obasanjo Right On Islamisation, Fulanization Claim, Soyinka Tells FG

Noble Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has advised the Federal Government to consider former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claim that the aim of the Boko Haram insurgents was to “Islamize” and “Fulanize” the country.

Recall that the former president, in a keynote during the second session of the Synod of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, said Boko Haram insurgency has transformed into “West African fulanization, African Islamization and global organized crimes of human trafficking, money laundering, drug trafficking, gun trafficking, illegal mining and regime change.”

Following his claim, the Federal Government asked former Obasanjo to retract his statement and offer an apology to Nigerians, saying the claim was ‘indiscreet’.

But speaking yesterday in Lagos at the Africa Day 2019 organised by United Bank for Africa (UBA), Soyinka who is known never to be in agreement with Obasanjo, cautioned the government for ignoring the call for collaborative efforts to combat insecurity as suggested by Obasanjo.

“However, everybody knows that my relationship with Obasanjo is not too cordial but at the same time, we should be very careful not to be dismissive. If there is a substance, the language must be put aside for a moment.

“I heard the Minister of Information, and I had the feeling that they are leaving aside the substance and worrying too much about the language. Obasanjo was calling for a meeting of stakeholders on a very serious aspect of social menace this country is undergoing.

“This country is undergoing a horrendous descent into the abyss. The perfect picture of Africa is what we must continue to uphold in view as leaders have used the word ‘unity’ to destroy our people.

“The issue of Boko Haram is currently being discussed in the House of parliament in England in relation to Africa’s well-being.’’