Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has revealed how he advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu some years back not to run for the highest office in the land.
The elder statesman said he offered former Vice President Atiku Abubakar a similarly advise to allow for younger Nigerians with fresh idea to contest.
Soyinka said this on Sunday during a courtesy call on the Tinubus in Lagos. During the visit, Soyinka also presented a seven-point agenda to the president for moving Nigeria forward.
However, the Nobel Laureate declined to publicly assess Tinubu’s performance after just a few months in office, citing his tradition of giving new administrations a year to settle in.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Soyinka acknowledged his past advice to Tinubu not to run for president, jokingly calling him “olori kunkun,” meaning “the stubborn one,” for ignoring it.
He clarified that his visit was primarily to check on Tinubu and his wife, wishing them a Merry Christmas, and to reiterate their long-standing friendship.
Despite offering the seven-point agenda, Soyinka held back on publicly evaluating Tinubu’s performance so far.
“Well, you know, something you may have noticed about me is that most heads of state, when they take office, I always leave them alone for about the first year…Because they need time.
whether it’s Obasanjo, Buhari, or Jonathan, you would notice that during the first year I hardly say anything,” he said.
“I know when they come in, they don’t start from ground zero. They often start even lower than ground zero and they have to make up.
“So, I’m adopting the same principle this time. When you see me next year, ask the same question again and listen to my answer,” he explained.
