Soyinka says he will speak on Tinubu’s government when he has something to say, warning against setting a timetable for him

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has stated that he will speak on President Bola Tinubu’s administration when he feels it is necessary, urging Nigerians not to set a timetable for him.

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Speaking on Channels Television’s *The Morning Brief* programme on Monday, Soyinka emphasised that he should not be pressured to make a public assessment just because a year has passed since Tinubu assumed office.

“People should stop trying to work on my timetable for me. I have not swallowed an alarm clock,” Soyinka said. “I don’t see why I should put my alarm on and say, ‘One year has passed, now I must make an assessment,’ if there is nothing I feel like talking about and if I am busy elsewhere.”

His comments came as some Nigerians expected him to honour a statement he made in December 2023, when he visited Tinubu at his Lagos residence. At that time, Soyinka had indicated that he would reserve judgment on Tinubu’s government until after one year, which would be in May 2024.

However, with that date fast approaching, some critics of Tinubu’s administration, who have cited high inflation and rising living costs as evidence of mismanagement, have urged Soyinka to fulfil his promise.

Responding to the expectation that he should provide an assessment at the one-year mark, Soyinka pointed out that assessing any government is a collective responsibility.

He highlighted the efforts of other public figures, such as the Falanas, Baiyewus, and Sowores, who have been vocal in their criticism and activism regarding the state of the nation.

According to Soyinka, there is no need for him to conform to expectations set by others regarding his timing or manner of speaking out.

“This business of ‘you haven’t come to do this,’ I don’t understand it. Other people are doing the same; this is a collective effort,” Soyinka remarked.

“The one year is up, which means you have a right, and I have a responsibility to respond when you call me on certain issues. But if you are saying that I should call a press conference and say, ‘One year is up, let us now make an assessment’—”

The renowned playwright further questioned whether he had done this kind of timed assessment during the presidencies of previous leaders like Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, or Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Did I do that with Jonathan? Did I do that with Buhari? Did I do that with Obasanjo?” Soyinka asked. “So why is it expected of me?”

Ultimately, Soyinka clarified that while the completion of one year in office does not necessitate an immediate public declaration from him, he would speak out on any matters he feels are important.

“If I am around and you want to get hold of me, I will speak. That’s all that statement meant,” he concluded.

As the first anniversary of Tinubu’s presidency approaches, all eyes remain on figures like Soyinka, whose opinions carry significant weight in Nigeria’s political landscape.

However, Soyinka’s refusal to be bound by specific timelines signals his commitment to speaking when he deems it necessary, rather than conforming to external pressures.