Soyinka, who delivered a lecture titled ‘Recovering the Narrative,’ expressed support for decentralization, using terms like “reconfiguration” instead of restructuring.
Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has called for Nigeria to break up if that is what it needs to solve its present challenges.
He stated this at the PUNCH Newspapers’ 50th-anniversary lecture in Lagos on Thursday.
Soyinka harped on the need for decentralization to bring governance closer to the people, stating that leaders should stop taking Nigerians for granted.
Soyinka, who delivered a lecture titled ‘Recovering the Narrative,’ expressed support for decentralization, using terms like “reconfiguration” instead of restructuring.
His words: “I know the fear. The fear is collapse, break up. That’s been the excuse given by several regimes. But suppose the nation is breaking up informally, in other words, as a fact rather than as a theory. Then, and you better just address this.
“Come straight on and see exactly what happened. What is wrong with general representatives seeing them and saying this is the protocol of our association, anything outside of it?
“Anyone who does not want to accept these protocols, abide by these protocols and manifest these protocols in the act should take a walk. I have no problem at all.
“We live in what is known as the nation, beginning as a vast football field and ending up as a ping pong table. If that is going to restore dignity to citizens.
“If that is going to guarantee three square meals a day, then so be it. One of my favourite expressions with people is, “Let nations die, that humanity may live.”