Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka on Friday blasted the negative use of technology and social media in recent times, noting that Nigeria must be rid of its “tyranny of the ignorant and the opportunism of time-servers.”
Soyinka, who spoke during the unveiling of his latest interventions volume titled “The Putin Files” held at Freedom Park, Lagos, averred that technology is in the hands of ignoramuses.
He said that technology is taking humanity backwards due to the use of profiling and abusive words.
He said: “I don’t tweet, I don’t WhatsApp. I tried WhatsApp but I stopped.”
Taking extracts from the book, Soyinka said, “Project Nigeria, I must confess, has become near terminally soul-searing. Do I still believe in it? I am no longer certain, but first we must rid ourselves of the tyranny of the ignorant and the opportunism of time-servers.
“In any case, there is not much else to engage one on a foundation of ownership stakes. There is, of course, always the possibility of a revolution, with a clarity of purpose and acceptance of all attendant risks, including costly errors.
“Revolutions are not, however, based on the impetus of speculative power entitlement. No matter, until that moment, the structures that ensures just and equitable cohabitation must be protected from partisan appropriation – be it from material inducement, fake news or verbal terrorism – the last being the contribution of one who is positioned to assume co-leadership of the nation, no less.”
Noting that the whole concept of democracy needs to be re-examined, he added: “Revolution is not about lining up behind nearest available symbol. When a symbol does emerge, however, we are still obliged to examine every aspect of what is fortuitously an offer, and continue to guard our freedoms every inch of the way.”
He said Putin, as used in his book, is a metaphor and reality, adding: “We can’t be shielded from what is hap
pening.”
He described EndSARS as one of the most successful movements in this country because it was based on truth.
Since the run-up and outcome of the February 25 Presidential election, there has been no love lost between Soyinka and the vociferous Obidient Movement supporters of Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who seem to dominate the social media, with the Nobel Laureate accusing them of trying to entrench fascism and the climate of fear in the Nigerian polity.
After his statement titled “Fascism on course (I),” the Obidients trolled Soyinka online, abusing him and an ex-deputy Covernor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, who in a Tweet, identified Soyinka’s objectivity and described him as “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.”
Soyinka then hit hard at the Obidients, saying: “It would appear that a record discharge of toxic sludge from our notorious smut factory is currently clogging the streets and sewers of the Republic of Liars. It goes to prove the point that provoked the avalanche exactly! The seeds of incipient fascism in the political arena have evidently matured. A climate of fear is being generated.
“The refusal to entertain corrective criticism, even differing perspectives of the same position has become a badge of honour and certificate of commitment. What is at stake, ultimately is – Truth, and at a most elementary level of social regulation: when you are party to a conflict, you do not attempt to intimidate the arbiter, attempt to dictate the outcome, or impugn, without credible cause, his or her neutrality even before hearing has commenced. That is a ground rule of just proceeding. Short of this, Truth remains permanently elusive.
“The ensuing cacophony has been truly bewildering. It strikes me as a possible ploy to smother recent provocations by other, far more trenchant issues, such as revelations of declarations of a religious war. If so, let it be known that I have long declared war against religious fundamentalism, the nature of which justifies the butchery, kidnapping and enslavement of students in the name of religion. That aspirant’s alleged gaffe cuts no ice with me.”