‘Obidients’ Attack Wole Soyinka Over Fascism Comments

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has come under intense criticisms by supporters of the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, popularly known as ‘Obidients’ for associating the movement with fascism.

Soyinka had in a statement on Tuesday warned that the Obidient movement was ‘slithering backwards and down the fascistic slope’.

In another interview with Arise TV on Wednesday, the nobel laureate described comments made by the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Yusuf Ahmed-Datti over the swearing-in of President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as reckless, fascist, menacing, and unacceptable for a person of his calibre.

Fascism, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, is a way of organizing a society in which a government ruled by a dictator controls the lives of the people and in which people are not allowed to disagree with the government.

The statements which did not sit well with a number of Obi supporters and other political commentators have been a topic of intense debate on micro-blogging platform Twitter.

While some have slammed the literature professor over the ‘hypocritical’ statement, others have argued that Soyinka be accorded some degree of respect as an elder statesman.

‘Obidients’ are arguing that Soyinka, who hijacked a radio station at gunpoint in the 1960s to protest the regional elections in Western Nigeria, had no moral right to liken the their movement to fascism.

Investigative journalist David Hundeyin criticized Soyinka over his choice of word, “Words have real power. Language is a potent form of mind control. If someone is able to control the words that people use to describe you, he has control over people’s perception of you – which can have real implications for you.

“No matter how fatuous or silly the ongoing attempt to hoodwink the world into categorising Peter Obi’s support base as “fascist” or “populist” is, once those words are allowed to stick, they will start to cause real problems,” he tweeted.

For @Sports_Doctor2, he said, “All of a sudden, Wole Soyinka is awake and granting interviews. Where was he when people were denied their rights to vote, some were attacked and some were even killed because they belong to a certain tribe or look like people of a certain tribe?”

Also, @dreyinker tweeted, “Wole Soyinka hijacked a Radio Station in the 60s. Wole Soyinka advocated guerrilla warfare in the late 90s. Calling Datti a fascist is hypocritical I must say. He should rest and remain quiet.”

For @Mrczarr, he said, “In 1965, Wole Soyinka took a gun into a radio station and forced the presenters to broadcast a protest note he wrote, then single-handedly started a protest. The same man thinks ‘Obidients’ are dangerous? If we did half of what he did Nigeria would have been up in flames.”

On the side of Soyinka is former CBN deputy governor, Kingsley Moghalu who argued that the nobel laureate was objective.

“Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka is a principled fighter for justice in our country and around the world. He is a phenomenon that unlettered and uncultured people may not fully understand in an age of lazy social media in which many don’t read or think deep. I view very dimly any criticism of him simply because he’s objective. He survived dictators. He will survive you,” he wrote.

Similarly, Dr. Joe Abah urged ‘Obidients’ to learn from their principal, Peter Obi, and stop insulting anyone who does not agree with them.

“The uncouth insults being directed by some against Professor Wole Soyinka are saddening. He is not a politician for whom some can say all is fair in love and war. He is undeniably a patriot. We should learn to disagree without being disagreeable.

“Peter Obi simply replied Soludo. He never insulted him. Peter Obi simply replied Chimaroke. He never insulted him. I expect that, if he chooses to, Peter Obi will simply reply Professor Soyinka. He won’t insult him. Hopefully, others can learn from Peter Obi,” he said.