The Pan-Yoruba Socio-Cultural and Socio-Political Organisation, Afenifere has described the Nobel Laureate, Professor Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka as a catalyst and an exemplary individual par excellence who precipitates things to happen.
Penpushing reports that the leader of the group Chief Reuben Fasoranti stated this in a statement made available by National Secretary of the body, Comrade Jare Ajayi while congratulating Soyinka on his 90th birthday.
The statement explained that Soyinka, in his activities and carriage, exudes the characteristics of a catalyst that makes things to happen adding that what he precipitates are things that would enable the people and positively project humanity further.
Penpushing further reports that Fasoranti in the congratulatory message recounted numerous occasions when the literary scholar has interrogated the prevailing systems in the interest of the public, stressing that his actions within and outside the academics are always geared towards enhancing humanity.
‘The actions of Professor Wole Soyinka in and outside the academics are always geared towards enhancing humanity. This, he always did by a way of calling the attention of those concerned to relevant issues’, the statement said.
‘He was never shy of physically taking the lead – or be part of those who lead – in progressive agitations. With these and some of his accomplishments, he is certainly one of those who are regarded in the pantheon as ‘Eni ti Ori sa da’ – the Special Breed!’, Fasoranti emphasised
‘It is on record that the Abeokuta-born scholar has always been an activist right from his youthful, if not childhood, days. Instances are too numerous to be recounted here. But it is worth mentioning that he acted as a one-man squad in standing against what he considered as a rape on democracy in 1964’.
‘At different times, he took steps that were meant to right the wrongs on the political turf. One of such other occasions was during the late General Sani Abacha dictatorship days. Soyinka, along with many other patriots, made pronouncements and took steps that clearly put their lives in danger’.
‘Indeed, many patriots have to run for safety while some others paid the supreme price in what became known as NADECO/Abacha era. On this occasion and on several other occasions requiring genuine patriotic actions, Soyinka was not found wanting at all’.
Penpushing also reports that Fasoranti who is also Asiwaju of the Yorubas in the message of congratulations said in view of the foregoing, Soyinka is undoubtedly Awokose-Gidi, an exemplary individual par excellence
The nonagenarian, recalled their days in the trenches as National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) activists and disclosed that Soyinka gave a good account of himself during the struggles, just as the group in the same vein commended President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for naming a major street in Abuja after the Nobel Laureate
Penpushing further reports that in the same vein, Afenifere pointed out that the decision of Nigerian government to equally named the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos after Soyinka to mark his 90th birthday was a laudable development
Meanwhile, the congratulatory statement which was made available to Penpushing Media on Monday declared that Afenifere is proud of Soyinka, a man who has projected Yoruba ideas, Nigeria and Africa on the global plane.
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