Nobel
laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has described, as a slap on the faces of
Nigerians, the launch of a book on corruption by Mr. Dino Melaye, the Senator
representing Kogi West Senatorial District.
Professor
Soyinka stated this on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the Civic Media Lab,
an initiative of SaharaReporters Media.
The Nobel
laureate, who was the special guest at the event, made a barely disguised
reference to the recent launch of Mr. Melaye’s Antidotes for Corruption,
describing it as a gathering of some of the most reprehensible people in the
country’s politics.
“I hope the
media when they do their launch, will not be like the launching with which the
nation was treated recently in Abuja. I think this nation — you and I — have
been slapped in the face by some of the disgusting reprobates that we know in
any level of connection with power,” Professor Soyinka said.
He was
alluding to Mr. Melaye, a man who possesses dubious educational qualifications
and a member of the country’s debauched political class. Mr. Melaye’s Antidotes
for Corruption was launched earlier this month and was received with resounding
public derision. This, principally, arose from the author’s profile as a poster
boy political excesses, marked by his penchant for gaudy public display of
expensive automobiles widely believed to have been acquired with funds amassed
through inappropriate and fraudulent activities. The title of the book is a
grammatical howler, which re-invited attention to Melaye’s dodgy educational
qualifications. Instead of Antidotes to Corruption, Melaye chose Antidotes for
Corruption for his 600-page book.
The launch
of the book was given a wide berth by the country’s anti-corruption agencies,
but had in attendance the Senate President, Mr. Bukola Saraki, who is being
tried by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false assets declaration; Mr. Aminu
Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, accused of budget padding; and
Mrs. Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is claiming
ownership of $5.9million dollars found in the accounts of four companies
prosecuted for corruption.
Professor
Soyinka congratulated Omoyele Sowore, founder of SaharaReporters, and expressed
hope that the Civic Media Lab will be a genuine media center. He also warned
SaharaReporters to be more careful now that the online news platform has a
known address in Nigeria.
“I’m here
under false pretenses; I was told that I agreed to be present at the launch of
this media center. Nobody said to my understanding of English, and my
understanding of English Language is not too bad. Nobody said I was coming to
launch it.
“My hearing
may be a bit wonky, but you know… still, here I am. Let me congratulate you
once again on the launching of this media center.
“I hope it
makes the media more careful, now that people know where to come and find you
and to deal with you when you go wrong, and I hope it will be a genuine media
center, which means that when we stop by, we would have a drink before we get
to more serious tasks,” the 1986 Nobel laureate said.
The
SaharaReporters founder thanked Professor Soyinka for making out time to attend
despite his hectic schedule, including his involvement in the ongoing Lagos at
50 celebrations.
Sowore
stated that the "Civic Media Lab" which is a project of Sahara
Reporters Media Foundation is a different entity from "SaharaReporters
Media Group" which operates of SaharaReporters.com. He said
SaharaReporters will remain in New York where it was founded in 2005. Sowore
later took Professor Soyinka, Mr. Tunji Lardner, Ms. Ayo Obe, Mr. Jahman
Anikulapo and other prominent activists, journalists including some fellows of
Civil Media Lab and many prominent persons in the literary and advocacy world
on a tour of the Civic Media Lab. He explained that the Civic Media Lab which
has green outdoor space provides for serious thinking and relaxation.
“I also want
to assure you that this media center is different to the extent that if you
wait long enough, there will be palm wine available on the other side of the
center. If you want to pour libation to the gods,” he said.
The Civic
Media Lab has, on its walls, the images of famous leaders of resistance in
Nigeria. They include images of ace musician, Fela Kuti, and Gani Fawehinmi,
human rights lawyer. The walls also tell the story of protests in Nigeria,
beginning with illustrations from the 1960s and ending with the 2012 Occupy
Nigeria protest.
SAHARAREPORTERS
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