2023 Polls: Moghalu Defends Nobel Laureate Soyinka, Blasts Critics

A former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, has publicly defended Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, amid widespread social media criticisms of the latter’s remarks against the Labour Party (LP) vice presidential candidate in the just-concluded 2023 elections, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Baba-Ahmed had some days ago made scathing remarks about the Judiciary on a live TV show, insisting that President-elect, Bola Tinubu, will not be sworn in on May 29, 2023.

Soyinka described Baba-Ahmed’s remarks as a “kind of do-or-die attitude and provocation” that goes contrary to democratic disposition.

Consequently, members of the Obidient Movement loyal to the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi, expressed displeasure against Soyinka’s stand and criticism of Baba-Ahmed.

But, Moghalu, who took to his verified Twitter handle on Thursday, described the Nobel Laureate as a principled fighter for justice in Nigeria and beyond.

He further acknowledged Soyinka’s support for his 2019 presidential bid as the greatest honour of his life, adding that the Nobel Laureate is a phenomenon that unlettered and uncultured people may not fully understand because of laziness occasioned by social media.

Moghalu wrote: “Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka is a principled fighter for justice in our country and around the world. He is a phenomenon that unlettered and uncultured people may not fully understand in an age of lazy social media in which many don’t read or think deep.

“His endorsement of my 2019 presidential candidacy in my short-lived but impactful foray into Nigerian electoral politics remains one of the greatest honors of my life. I view very dimly any criticism of him simply because he’s OBJECTIVE. He survived dictators. He will survive you.”