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below was in news....North breaking away, Soyinka warns

VINCENT ADEKOYE, Benin


NOBEL Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday raised alarm on what he called the "systematic secession of some states from the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

Prof. Soyinka who raised this alarm at Okada, in Edo State while delivering a lecture entitled: "Myth and History in the Quest for Identity," to mark the 70th birthday of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, said the much-talked about Okija shrines is of no importance.

He said the agitation by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)," although has become a nightmare to the entire country", may not be the real signal of secession, adding that the gradual breaking away of some Northern states should be of grave concern to everybody.

The Nobel Laureate who spoke at the auditorium of the Igbinedion University, Okada stated that the actions of some northern states who had broken away from the common penal code of the federating units and adopted Sharia constitute great danger for the rest of the components of the federation.

He observed that in the quest for identity, some states are already on their own, adding, that he had a duty to "draw the attention of Mr. President to this situation".

"Are you all not aware that Zamfara State has seceded from the nation? Or, let me tell Mr. President that Zamfara has opted out of the federating unit with the adoption of its own penal code and way of living.

"How do you define secession? Is it only by war or agitation? No. This is why we have been calling for the convening of National Conference so that we can re-define the real identity of Nigeria as a federating unit," he said.

Prof. Soyinka frowned at the controversy that had trailed the historical origin of Yoruba race and Benin kingdom, saying that this calls for a more research rather than personal self esteem.

He attributed the ugly situation at the Okija shrines in Anambra to the quest for myth, asking: "Of what importance is the deity who demands human sacrifice, kills and requests that corpses of the victims be deposited to its shrines?"

According to him, the quest for identity is the major cause of religious violence across the country "and even the entire world."

He advised the people to put the past and abstract belief about myth behind them "so that the nation can move forward politically, economically and socially."

The 45-minute thought-provoking lecture was attended by dignitaries from all parts of the country including the Edo State Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion.

EMTL,

Thank you for making this report available to us. Soyinka appears to have read the map well this time around. I pray we will all see thru' the same spectacle he is using.

The article is very interesting EMTL and thank you, but may I ask _waziri_ why do you say Soyinka sees through the same spectacle? I just have a different veiw of the sharia issue and thus do not see it as attempts by some states to break away, rather I see Soyinkas article aimed at inciting those not in aggreement with an SNC and pressurizing the FGN into organising an SNC.  Soyinkas comments to me smacks of a strategy to bring the SNC to fore not necessarily in the interest of Nigeria but to institutionalise certain political perceptions and positions.

Salam

Soyinka is a spent force. He is doing whatever he can to attract attention to himself. He is a tainted man. He served Babangida's military junta and he is telling people that the military is injurious to the nigerian nation. Injurious my a*s*......

Now he is saying the North is breaking away. If i remember my history right, wasn't he detained for supporting the Biafran cause ( A breaking away cause)? If anything -if indeed there is anything- Soyinka should support the seccessionist, like he did in the 60's, not condemn it.

A say to Soyinka, go back to the classroom where you belong.

myadudu
It is interesting you say this about Soyinka.  I have lost respect for soyinka since IBB's time, we seem to have forgotten that this is the same person who declared publicly on national TV that IBB is the best thing that happend to Nigeria when IBB received him (after the nobel prize), and it is surprising that some people even deny he said that.  I really am cautious with what Soyinka says on the state on Nigeria.  And indeed people have forgotten that this is the same man that served as chairperson road safety corp under IBB with a starting budget then of about 700million niara and made nigeria the only country to have drivers drive cars for over 3 years without driving liecense.  Yes the man is a nobel winner, but that does not mean he is untouchable or he can not be also questioned.