Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has
described as ‘abominable distractions,’ statement
by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information,
Dr Austin Tam-George, that the state would demand
refund from him (Soyinka) if he collected cash from
the N82 million allegedly spent by immediate-past
Governor, Rotimi Amaechi on a dinner to honour
him.
Soyinka, who reacted in a statement on Wednesday
night, said it has never been his business to probe
into the “catering and logistical implications” of the
hundreds of recognitions he had enjoyed worldwide
and wondered why the Ameachi gesture has
become an issue under the ‘insecure’ incumbent of
the Rivers State government lodge.
Although he said the allegation has made him
saddened and ‘truly despair”, he added that he was
indifferent to it.
Soyinka in the statement entitled, “Those who
flounder in the sewage of corruption,” said: “This
morning, I saw only the headlines in one or two
print media regarding the 80th Birthday dinner to
which I was hosted by the former governor of
Rivers State, the Honorable Rotimi Amaechi, now
Minister of Transportation. I ignored them. It was
not, and remains not my business to probe into the
catering and logistical implications of the hundreds
of institutions and governments all over the world to
whom I acknowledge an immense debt of
unsolicited recognition over the years.
“Since then however, I have learnt of some unsavory
statements by the insecure incumbent of the Rivers
State government Lodge. These included a loose
invitation to anti-crime agencies to investigate the
potential crime of being honoured through any
occasion. The unprecedented call by this governor
is prescient of a warning I recounted in my recent
pamphlet publication THE REPUBLIC OF LIARS, and
was taken from my address to an anti-corruption
global conference that took place in Tunisia two
years ago. Those words were: CORRUPTION
STRIKES BACK. In this ongoing instance, that
expression translates most vividly as “Those who
are neck deep in the sewage of corruption ensure
that they splatter sewage in all possible and
improbable directions.”
“I do however fully support the Wikeleaks call for
multi-directional probes. I recommend further that
he involve the services of INTERPOL to guarantee
its extension to all international organisations and
governments to whom I owe uncountable events of
recognition – including birthday luncheons, dinners,
cultural receptions and events of real, fictitious, or
simply opportunistic flavoring – to which I have
submitted myself.
“The descent to this present level of abominable
distractions makes one truly despair. It is one that
even I did not envisage when I warned –
CORRUPTION STRIKES BACK! Whether it brings
honour or dishonour to the nation is another matter
– I am saddened, but indifferent.
“EFCC and company – over to you! You all know
where I live,” noted The Nobel laureate.
82 Million Naira Dinner: Soyinka Replies Rivers Govt
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