Presidential candidates relegated Nigeria’s restructuring, only want power – Soyinka

Professor Wole Soyinka has explained why he did not endorse a candidate before the February 25 presidential election in Nigeria.

The 88-year-old Nobel laureate featured on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Roadmap 2023.

Soyinka said he deliberately avoided supporting any standard bearer despite the attempt by some persons to put a name in his mouth.

“One of the reasons I refused to endorse was that none of the candidates actually addressed things that were close to my heart, like reconstructing the nation.

“Yes, there were statements but I didn’t really see any genuine commitment, any believable agenda about restructuring, decentralisation,” he said.

Noting that reorganisation is at the heart of Nigeria’s problems, he said the presidential flagbearers “were more concerned with just aiming for power.”

Soyinka revealed he didn’t like what he read about the general elections after returning to the country for the March 21 World Poetry Day.

“My trust has broken down completely and even the minimum restraint that we’ve learnt to expect from seasoned politicians have been jettisoned,” he regretted.

Responding to a question, Soyinka said he does not think Nigerians were finding it difficult to understand democracy.

The playwright opined that the problem was “certain stakes have been catapulted to the fore” and overwhelmed what should be the real democratic practice.