Noble Laureate prize winner and legendary Nigeria scholar, Prof Wole Soyinka, has urged Nigerians to do away from the habit of always criticizing the “state” but refusing to examine themselves.
Soyinka who made this statement known on Monday at the 2024 edition of his International Cultural Exchange Programme, held at his ARI residence, Ijegba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, further noted that he did not envisage that he would live up to 90 years.
He adding that crimes like kidnapping and robbery, among others, are not because of poverty or inequality, but selfishness and the desire to live a luxury life.
The Noble Laureate said he decided to be a writer to correct some anomalies from stories he listened to while growing up.
Speaking the reason he broke into a radio station during the military era, he said;
“I never broke into a radio station, but sneaked in. The radio station was holding on to something that belonged to the people, and I decided to retrieve it. If that item had been played, it would have demoralized the people and established the culture of brutality.”
The 2024 Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange Programme drew students from different parts of the country who participated in an essay competition on national and international topics.
Leave a Reply