Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka has castigated Nigerian
politicians for the use of what he described as “crudity and vulgar
abuse of language” in their election campaigns.
Soyinka said never before had Nigerians been subjected to such use of vulgar abuse of language as in this present political exercise, accusing the presidency of being the major culprit, Vanguard reports.
According
to the professor, who spoke on Tuesday, March 10, in Lagos at the
public presentation of a book titled Modern and Tradition Elite in the
Politics of Lagos, written by Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole, the current
set of politicians in Nigeria have dragged the country to a “hitherto imaginable low in the art of public persuasion which we have a right to imagine forms the foundation of political life.”
His said: “All of us here have passed through the electoral process furnace before now and I suspect we would mostly agree that never before have we been subjected to this level of sheer venom, crudity of and vulgar abuse of language in such prodigal quantities as in this current political exercise.
“The very gift of communication, considered the distinguishing mark of cultured humanity even in polemical situations, has been debased, affecting even thought processes, I often suspect.”
Soyinka pointed out that top politicians and even their spouses have thrown caution to the wind and are making reckless utterances, using a recent statement attributed to the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, as an example.
“Speaking as objectively as is possible in such circumstances, I would say that, among the various camps, the most reckless and indecorous has sadly proved the incumbency camp, where restraint has been thrown to the wind with such abandon that even highly privileged spouses have publicly urged supporters to stone any voices raised in opposition to their cause,” he said.
Recall that Patience had during a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally in Lokoja, Kogi state, asked her supporters to stone anyone that mentions change to them.
Taking a swipe at former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s book, My Watch, he described it as “three tonnes of doctored and self-serving narratives”.
He urged Dr Dele Cole, who was an adviser to the former president, to give Obasanjo a tutorial on how to write history and also investigate allegations that the presidency was training some 1000 snipers and write about them.
About a month ago, Soyinka criticised the two major contenders in the forthcoming presidential elections, President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, describing them as ‘problematic’ candidates.
Soyinka said never before had Nigerians been subjected to such use of vulgar abuse of language as in this present political exercise, accusing the presidency of being the major culprit, Vanguard reports.
Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright and poet
His said: “All of us here have passed through the electoral process furnace before now and I suspect we would mostly agree that never before have we been subjected to this level of sheer venom, crudity of and vulgar abuse of language in such prodigal quantities as in this current political exercise.
“The very gift of communication, considered the distinguishing mark of cultured humanity even in polemical situations, has been debased, affecting even thought processes, I often suspect.”
Soyinka pointed out that top politicians and even their spouses have thrown caution to the wind and are making reckless utterances, using a recent statement attributed to the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, as an example.
“Speaking as objectively as is possible in such circumstances, I would say that, among the various camps, the most reckless and indecorous has sadly proved the incumbency camp, where restraint has been thrown to the wind with such abandon that even highly privileged spouses have publicly urged supporters to stone any voices raised in opposition to their cause,” he said.
Recall that Patience had during a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally in Lokoja, Kogi state, asked her supporters to stone anyone that mentions change to them.
Taking a swipe at former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s book, My Watch, he described it as “three tonnes of doctored and self-serving narratives”.
He urged Dr Dele Cole, who was an adviser to the former president, to give Obasanjo a tutorial on how to write history and also investigate allegations that the presidency was training some 1000 snipers and write about them.
About a month ago, Soyinka criticised the two major contenders in the forthcoming presidential elections, President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, describing them as ‘problematic’ candidates.
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