JERUSALEM: WRITER WOLE SOYINKA REACTS TO DEATH OF SANI ABACHA

(8 Jun 1998) English/Nat

Wole Soyinka, the winner of the 1986 Nobel prize for literature, who was charged in absentia from Nigeria with treason has reacted to the death of Nigerian strongman Sani Abacha.

Soyinka slipped out of Nigeria in November 1994, saying the country was "retreating into the Dark Ages."

Abacha charged him in absentia with treason, a crime punishable by death.

Wole Soyinka, winner of the 1986 Nobel prize for literature - slipped out of Nigeria in November 1994, saying the country was "retreating into the Dark Ages."

Abacha charged him in absentia with treason, a crime punishable by death.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
Q: What is your reaction to the death of General Sani Abacha?
A: My reaction is very simple - it is an opportunity for the Nigerian civic society, an opportunity for the Nigerian military and also for the international community.
Q: To do what?
A: Right. To put pressure on the military to say to the military enough of this nonsense. Enough of this spurious transition programmes. Don't come and start and don't have a power struggle among themselves, you know, to see who is going to put on the mantle of battle - that period is very definitely over. As I was just saying Abacha never governed the country he terrorised the country - he bullied the country. He had power he had no authority he was able to kill, he could take hostages but he never governed the country because the people were not willing to be governed by a brute. They were sick of military dictatorship. So it is up to the military to recognise this and up to the international community to see that we are sick and tired of the degeneration of a potentially great society."
SUPER CAPTION: Wole Soyinka, winner of the 1986 Nobel prize for Literature

Soyinka urged the military to carefully consider the wishes of the Nigerian people.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Even after the death of General Sani Abacha - until the military accept the programme of a United Democratic Front for which hundreds of people have lost their lives - bring out all the political prisoners and bring about a government of national unity headed by the president-elect who is rotting in jail at this moment. We are sick and tired of this repetitive cycle of motionlessness. There is only one choice for Nigeria and the structure is there. The president-elect is there."
SUPER CAPTION: Wole Soyinka, winner of the 1986 Nobel prize for Literature

Soyinka seemed to carry the emotion of Nigeria's people with him.

He spoke of a civilian rebellion in the making and warned that Abacha got off lightly if he did die of natural causes.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
I think he is a very lucky person, because his death, if it was a natural death, then he got a graceful exit. His death would've been very, very messy if he attempted, if he continued his attempt to install himself as the civilian president of Nigeria. And the signs were already there it's not me just saying it. Abacha was already doomed. He had nowhere else to run. The people had rejected him all over the country. Statements had been made and positions had been taken about, everybody had made it clear that Abacha it's time for you to go. Yet he was planning to flout the civic will and his end would've been very messy. So if he's really gone then I think Allah was very kind to him."
SUPER CAPTION: Wole Soyinka , winner of the 1986 Nobel prize for Literature

Soyinka's lives in Atlanta but is in the middle of a five-day visit to speak at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...