Calls for Sovereign National Conference‘
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has lamented that Nigeria is in a mess and disintegrating, as he reiterated calls for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference to tackle the multiplicity of problems facing the country.
Soyinka spoke at a news conference held at Freedom Park in Lagos with the theme: ‘Covid, Technology and Citizens banishment’, yesterday.
He made the assertions against the backdrop of the political crisis and killings in Anambra as well as threats by proscribed secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), to stop the States November 6 gubernatorial election from holding.
The literary icon lamented that the government has only been proffering piecemeal solutions to problems, which is not healthy enough for the continued existence of this country.
Soyinka then said the only solution to the myriad problems the country is facing at the moment is a Sovereign National Conference in which the various ethnic groups in the country would come together and find pathways to their mutual coexistence.
The Nobel Laureate also expressed his disappointment at the shambolic and embarrassing treatment he got at the hands of officials of the countrys Ministry of Health and External affairs as he was about to fly back to Nigeria from Paris, France.
Soyinka said not only was his flight delayed because, according to them, he had to be given a permit to travel citing Covid-19 reasons but was made to go through some rigorous processes such as going to the Nigerian Travel Portal permit to seek a permit to travel.
However, the Nobel laureate said he was at a loss about the connection between the Ministry of External Affairs and Covid -19.
The Nobel laureate said already stressed out by the delay, he was finally allowed to travel by virtue of a special treatment he was given, which he spoke vehemently against.
