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| Prof. Wole Soyinka standing with Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed |
Apparently worried by the
continuous decline in the nation’s economy, Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka,
yesterday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convene an emergency
economic conference for experts to brainstorm on the way forward and future of
the economy.
Vanguard
report continues:
The
Nobel laureate made the call when he paid a courtesy call on the Minister of
Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja.
According
to Soyinka, the conference became necessary to enable experts diagnose the
problems currently facing the country and make necessary recommendations for
government to get the economy out of the woods.
He
said: “I agree with those who say the economy is bad. It is obvious and
it is so bad. I think the Presidency should call an emergency economic
conference where experts will be enlightened.
“We
really need an emergency economic conference, bringing experts together to
march the nation forward. I think the economy is not encouraging. Quite
frankly, I think most economists will agree with this.”
Don’t wait to see a
bonanza economy
While
urging Nigerians to be patient with the present administration, the Nobel
laureate urged them not to expect an end to the present hardship as it would
linger for a long time.
“Don’t
wait to see a bonanza economy in the next few months to a year. Recovery is
going to take time. But at the same time, we have to rely on the objective
analysis of experts to tell the government when it gets bad, which might
compound the problem and ultimately left the people as victims.
“At
the beginning, this cabinet had no Culture but had Information ministry. We had
to scream, before the Ministry of Culture later came,” Soyinka said.
Cautions on human rights
abuse
Asked
to rate the performance of Buhari’s administration, he said though it might be
too early to assess the administration’s performance, it would be right for the
government to recognize the provisions of the law and constitution of the land
to avoid violation of the fundamental human rights of people.
He
said: “My attitude to the performance of the present administration is that the
rule of the law should be followed. I belong to any government which is
very patient to getting results. I have a very clear idea of governance tempo.
“If
that goal is attained by constitutional means, if nothing else, it would have
moved this nation forward.
“The
tempo of motion, for me is very reasonable. For me, I would say more than
reasonable. But on the human right side, we have to watch very carefully to see
if that can be achieved without forfeiting the fundamental human rights of
people, which form the basis we derive from citizenship.
“I
will say, while the human right is respected, governance should move on, which
I believe most Nigerians approve.
“What
is going on now is an exposure of open robbery in their faces, while the
government should damn the consequences of its action, with ethical rigour
without minding whose ox is gored.
“Government, for me, is a
very complicated matter and there is a lot of debris to be cleared. Maybe, we
need to be a little bit more patient to see what the administration will do.”Yoruba Forum Warns Buhari Over Naira’s Fall
Vanguard
reports that the Yoruba Unity Forum has raised an alarm over the dwindling
economic situation in the country, warning that millions of jobs might be lost
this year if the free – fall of the Naira and the attendant rising inflation in
the country are not checked urgently.
The
YUF, however, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to put measures in place to
arrest the situation and also restore investors’ confidence, noting that year
2016 would particularly be challenging to Nigeria and the citizens.
YUF’s
new Chairman, Rev. Emmanuel Gbonigi, stated this yesterday, in his address at
the general meeting of the group held at Efunyela Hall in the Ikenne, Ogun
state, home of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
According
to him, the textile industries if revived are capable of not only restoring
jobs lost in past decades but also add tens of billions of naira to the National
Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The
meeting observed a minute silence in honour of Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo,who was
until her death,the Chairman of YUF and the late Ooni of Ife,Oba Okunade
Sijuwade.
Other
highlight of the meeting was the election of Bishop Gbonigi, as its substantive
chairman of the Forum following the death of Mama Awolowo,while Archbishop Ayo
Ladigbolu (retd) is the new deputy chairman.
Three vice-chairmen were
also elected; namely, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Ambassador Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu
while the third person is yet to be elected. 
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