POLITICS-NIGERIA: Wole Soyinka Returns From Exile

By Toye Olori Reprint | | Print |

Remi Oyo and Toye Olori

LAGOS, Oct 15 1998 (IPS) - Nobel prize-winning writer, Wole Soyinka, has returned home, four years after leaving Nigeria.

Soyinka, who is one of Nigeria’s best-known pro-democracy activists, was met by thousands of supporters at Lagos airport on Thursday, and carried shoulder-high as his people danced and sang his name.

Immediately after the ceremony, he visited the graves of Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential elections, who died in detention earlier this year, and his wife Kudirat, who was mysteriously assassinated two years ago.

Soyinka, emerging from the graveyard, said he was affected by Abiola’s and Kudirat’s death more than the reception he received at the airport.

A top government official told IPS on Thursday that “Soyinka’s arrival is a major boost for the Abubakar government”.

Soyinka, 64, met with General Abdulsalaam Abubakar in New York last month and applauded the military leader’s reform programme.

Olutoyin Abdulwaheed, a political commentator in Lagos, told IPS on Thursday that: “Soyinka’s return suggests that he believes in the current transition programme and the sincerity of this government”.

“It also sends a strong signal to those within the military who may want to derail Nigeria’s march towards democracy, that they must be prepared to confront and contend with the towering figure of Soyinka”, he said.

Soyinka slipped out of Nigeria in November 1994 after the military ruler of the time, General Sani Abacha, confiscated his passport.

His arrival comes at a time when the opposition, including human and pro-democracy groups, which taunted and exposed the late General Abacha’s excesses, has split into several factions.

But Soyinka has ruled out playing a role in Nigeria’s politics. He said he was in the country on a six-day working visit.

Despite his refusal to join Nigeria’s “partisan” political parties, pro-democracy activists in Lagos have welcomed the reception accorded Soyinka at the airport.

“The kind of reception accorded Soyinka was a clear indication that it pays afterall to be in the good books of the people,” said Tokunbo Afikuyomi, who himself recently returned from exile.

“With Soyinka’s arrival, programmes and lectures aimed at enlightening the populace to stand up and insist on an end to military dictatorship in Nigeria would be organised,” said Arthur Nwankwo of the opposition National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).

“His coming is a step in the right direction. Now, for us in the pro-democracy struggle, the focus, will be to drum up the evils of military. For us, these are the things we shall now focus on. His coming is right for democracy,” he said.

Nwankwo said their main strategy is now to stop the military from disrupting Nigeria’s democratic system.

“We will continue to educate Nigerians. We will continue to alert the public to the dangers of military dictatorship,” Nwankwo said.

Since coming to power this year, General Abubakar has released prominent detainees including former Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo and withdrew treason charges against activists who went into exile. He has also promised to hold multi-party elections on May 29, 1999.

Abubakar’s overtures have brought some credibility to his government and has also led to Nigeria’s acceptance by the international Community.

Donor countries have pledged to resume aid to Nigeria and the Commonwealth, which suspended Nigeria’s membership over human rights abuses in 1995, has also promised to accept it back to its fold.

Nigeria got a further boost Wednesday when Ramon De Miguel, the Secretary of State for the European Union (EU), met Gen. Abubakar in Abuja and announced that the EU will soon lift sanctions imposed on Nigeria several years ago.

He said the EU will, however, maintain the arms embargo and the ban on military training until further notice.

“Military training which will enhance the capability of the Armed Forces to engage in humanitarian operation may be allowed by the EU, pending the lifting of the arms embargo and all restrictions on military relations”, Miguel said.