Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka says he is not ready to publicly assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration, citing the persistent twisting of his comments whenever he speaks on national issues.
Speaking in an interview with BBC News Yoruba, the globally acclaimed writer said he prefers to take his time before offering any evaluation of the government.
“I have been asked that question by several people,” Soyinka said in Yoruba. “I don’t want to answer because it seems as if there’s nothing one says that won’t be twisted, and I’m tired of that. So, I want to take my time. When it’s time, I will write my view on that.”
Despite his long history of criticising successive Nigerian governments, including the Obasanjo, Jonathan, and Buhari administrations, Soyinka has not given a formal assessment of Tinubu’s presidency more than two years after it began.
The Nobel laureate, who has recently been in the news over the revocation of his US visa, also told BBC Yoruba that he has no intention of reapplying. He revealed that the US Consulate in Lagos had asked him to bring his passport so the cancellation could be formally stamped, a request he rejected.
“They are jokers,” he said. “I should take my passport to those who revoked my visa? I told them they should come to my house and stamp it themselves. I cannot say I’ll be applying again or sitting down to fill out any form. But if they realise they made a mistake and want to return the visa, they should bring it to my house and before you come to my house, you will need a visa to enter.”
Soyinka had earlier disclosed during a media parley in Lagos that his B1/B2 visa had been revoked. The US Mission later clarified that visas are a privilege and may be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of the US government.
