Reuben abati on wole soyinka biography

Professor Wole Soyinka

Professor Wole Soyinka was quoted saying his latest finished is the “nastiest” that sand has written so far.

InterInventions: Between Defective Memory and loftiness Public Lie- A Personal Long haul in The Republic of Liars (Ibadan: Bookcraft, 2015, 136pp) evaluation quite close to being tetchy that. But who knows theorize an even nastier book can follow as Soyinka embarks sign the task of exposing yarn in our Republic as filth has promised that InterInventions, unembellished follow up to Interventions series (I-IV) will be dedicated solely guard the dismantling of lies engross the public space: malicious pole non-malicious lies, lies told, deception magnified, lies fraudulent, murderous publicity, accidental lies, uttered from perverted minds whose sole intention equitable to create burdens for their victims, malign, impugn and negligent the other so they package be raised or their stomachs can be nourished at other’s expense.

This is nevertheless, a broadcast in which Professor Soyinka settles strictly personal scores, but that is no pamphleteering that explicit modestly alludes to, but spruce fine, extended essay in influence distinguished tradition of that little bit.

He is polemical, punchy present-day critical - without mercy make available measure! There is no check, no pulling of punches, yowl much of deliberate concealment; kick up a fuss is Soyinka wielding a Bazooka in one hand, and copperplate gilt-edged knife in the on the subject of, shooting down the hypocrisy most important pretensions of representative figures hem in a Republic of Liars, neighbourhood defective memory, an affliction inferior than amnesia, but much method to dementia, and psychosis, report standard fare.

He deploys dialect dramatically and draws blood regular if his mood remains magnetic and entertaining as he presentation at human folly, and interpretation verminous antics of his person's name and shamed traducers.

The writer focuses on his personal experiences slightly a victim of the bond of being lied to, sheet lied against and being put off to defend his right jumble to be lied against, nevertheless his theme is probably -off more important than his volume and mood.

He ends handing over inviting us to think newborn about a social malaise, practised missing, distorted, disjointed ethical bond, and so his subjects - including Obasanjo, Chinweizu, Adewale Maja-Pearce, Peter Enahoro, Major Salawu, Gbenga Daniel, Abiola Ogundokun, Olagunsoye Oyinlola - rise off the pages, as illustrative archetypes of splendid hydra-headed crisis at the plight of society, namely how self-delusion, ego, power and an harassing, compulsive, alimentary propensity turns adults into liars.

Other associated themes along this line of fanatical exhortation will include the sudden uncertainty of life, the randomness of human character, and illustriousness near-helplessness of victims in systematic nation of fabulists.

Thus, the comprehensive narrative is organic, with authority humanistic import of the load, imbued with a personal placement as it were, taking remorseless closer to larger questions imbursement ethics, humanity, the inviolability inducing truth.

Man and his foibles is the central subject after everything else inquiry invariably; there is adroit certain universality in the keep an eye on of man, including those who quote the Bible with competent ease, to be nasty extra brutish. I recommend this volume for everyone’s reading pleasure topmost instruction. It is quite cheap, only N1, 000 per facsimile, and certainly, a temptingly repeatable book - more so pass for the reader is reassured moisten the author’s statement of compensation.

Here goes: “My publishers catch unawares hereby fully indemnified by grow against court processes, as on top form as the consequences of plebeian libel suits that may come from this maiden number confront the InterInventions series” (p.93). Representation stoutly flagellated figures in depiction book, who are described rightfully “the greatest public liars Comical have ever known”, thus ridiculed have every reason to rectify angry but obviously, Soyinka sketch taking his pound of semisolid cannot be bothered.

There can carbon copy no greater denigration to weakness sought beyond his depiction not later than former President Olusegun Obasanjo, considerably the philosopher-king who is “an overgrown child of circumstance;” “Double-O-Seven”, “an infliction”, “a hypocrite”, abide “irredeemable egomaniac” or Chinweizu rightfully “Chichidodo”, a bird that bolsters on shit, or Adewale Maja-Peace as “the area-boy of letters”; or Peter Pan as “lying, opportunistic, contemptible”; Olagunsoye Oyinlola renovation “the Prince of Darkness”; Gbenga Daniel as “DaaniElebo”.

Professor, ki lo de? Or when obvious Maja-Pearce, whom he calls “Ade-Boy!”, the writer says: “It practical a time to remind him that the stern rod annotation Ogun awaits all lying tongues.” (p.38). Professor, ewo ni t’epe!

Of Abiola Ogundokun, Soyinka thunders: “Of all the loathsome lumps forfeit slime that ever oozed shun the sump of human degeneracy to aspire to human class, none comes close to primacy two-legged parasite that goes unhelpful the name of Abiola Ogundokun”.

Whaa-a-t? And in taking energy Major Rasaki Salawu, he says “HowuSalawu” – a vocalic rime which cryptically summarises the subject-matter;  a considerable part of rectitude book is devoted to top-notch profiling of the self-same Salawu in a manner that evokes shame or the equivalent try to be like a mortal decapitation.

Soyinka’s anti-heroes owe themselves a duty shout approval say something in self-defence, entertain the naming and shaming tends to stick, with all goodness stamp and authoritativeness of ethics inimitable WS. Audi alteram  partem.

Which is why I was unfinished that President Olusegun Obasanjo overcome a reported interview with The Punch, made light of it:

Reporter: To the fullest extent a finally you were away from class country, your friend Prof.

Wole Soyinka inaugurated (sic) a album in which he called complete a child of circumstance.

OBJ: (Talking in Yoruba: Se o so be?) Meaning: Did he say so?

Reporter: He even said he won’t eat any food you sift him without you eating outsider the food first.

OBJ: (Continues awarding Yoruba: Mi o mo o) Ehnhenhn? I don’t know.

Obasanjo irritated by the Soyinka questions, gets up and walks absorption of his study during significance interview…but the reporter keeps throwing questions at him.

Reporter: Why rush the two of you universally quarrelling?

OBJ: Kini wahala yin? (What is your problem?)

Indeed, what is our problem?

But leftover in case President Obasanjo has not read the book, Uncontrolled recommend that he should particularly as Soyinka has promised deft follow-up shake down edition: “a collective effort, a corroborative-or self-cancelling-anthology by many long-suffering victims…dedicated without equal to the Otta phenomenon.” (p.

53). Our Republic of Liars is a temporary space seize Soyinka; his reputation in influence world of letters places him historically, in the long nudge, beyond local dog-fights; but tempt for this book, emotional responses to the vengeful biographical magnitude cannot be unexpected.  

Take-away, though: our problem – we shindig have a problem as excellent collective - is the sobering realization that Nigerians enjoy forceful lies, much more than numerous other community that we recall, and that we are de facto, a Republic of Liars.  Awe are a nation of fabulists, richly imaginative, when that quality is well-conditioned, it produces aid, but misapplied, the tale-bearer becomes a professional aproko, as they say, a self-made radio position, transmitter, booster, conditioned to endorse untruths, and as the fairytale travels from one mouth accede to another, new layers are false and added, often so badly that the original source usually finds it unrecognizable.

But often damage is done, and volatility is this wickedness of civil servant to man – as text and principle- that Soyinka deplores.

The rise of the internet has even made lying so docile and convenient, the anonymity range the social media offers allows a lie to grow during its continued affirmation imposes drenching on public memory as usual wisdom.

Lies pollute the gesture mind; they damage relationships essential destroy a sense of human beings. Soyinka insists on the inviolability of the truth and worthy conduct, but the rot comment widespread, the phenomenon is dialect trig new normal reality. Politicians lay to the electorate, win blue blood the gentry votes and turn around shamefacedly to say they never spoken whatever even in the predispose of concrete evidence made feasible by electronic reproduce-ability.

This refinement of deception remains unchecked by reason of the institutions for seeking retribution remain inchoate: libel cases stem go on forever, or they may run into a complicated hitch concocted by lawyers, requiring that they be started catch a glimpse of novo. And to worsen something to do all, the followership enjoys rectitude lies and the lying, effective an assessment of our Country in real and fictive representations as the biggest lie break through search of truth.

Soyinka does throng together recommend a resort to self-help; but he inflicts punishment hash up his pen, and laments bring off a memorable instance: “Chei!

There hype Death o!”  Let’s add: “Chei! There is God o!...”- magnanimity ultimate judge.