#EndBadGovernance: Soyinka Slams Tinubu for Ignoring Brutal Protest Crackdown

(iexclusivenews) – Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent nationwide address, stating that it failed to address the violent crackdown on #EndBadGovernance protesters by security agencies.

Soyinka’s remarks came in a statement released on Sunday, following Tinubu’s address to the nation.

Ongoing #EndBadGovernance Protests

Soyinka’s Critique of Tinubu’s Address:

The #EndBadGovernance protests continued on Sunday, marking their fourth day.

Demonstrators across Nigeria have been voicing their frustrations over the country’s worsening economic hardship, escalating poverty, and ineffective governance.

Despite calls from political, religious, and traditional leaders to end the protests, the movement has gained momentum.

Soyinka expressed his disappointment with Tinubu’s address, noting that while the president outlined the government’s remedial actions since taking office, he conspicuously failed to address the state’s handling of the protests.

Soyinka emphasized that the use of live bullets and tear gas against peaceful protesters is a significant issue that the president ignored.

RELATED: President Tinubu Speech On #EndBadGovernance Protests (FULL TEXT)

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The Core Issue

State Response to Civic Protests:

Soyinka highlighted that the state’s response to civic protests, particularly the use of live ammunition, is a core issue.

He argued that even the use of tear gas is questionable in situations of peaceful protest.

According to Soyinka, hunger marches are a universal SOS, signaling that a breaking point has been reached and testing the government’s awareness of public desperation.

Historical Context and Comparisons:

Drawing historical parallels, Soyinka compared the current situation to the colonial-era acts of disdain that led to the creation of Hubert Ogunde’s folk opera “Bread and Bullets.”

He noted that the tragic response to the ongoing hunger marches is a retrogression, taking the nation back to the deadly culmination of the ENDSARS protests.

Soyinka urged the nation’s security agencies to adopt alternative models for emulation, citing the Yellow Vest movement in France as an example.

He pointed out that during the Yellow Vest protests, there were no instances of guns being leveled at protesters, even during direct physical confrontations.

Breaking the Cycle of Violence:

Soyinka concluded by calling for an end to the use of lethal means by security agencies. He emphasized that no nation is too underdeveloped or insecure to set an example of civilized governance.

Soyinka suggested that today’s marchers might consider adopting the key songs of Hubert Ogunde’s “Bread and Bullets” to instill a sense of shame in the continuing failure to transcend colonial legacies.