A human right activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has taken a swipe at the Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
In his latest rant, the AreaFada of Nigerian entertainment, said that the literary giant that can never be as great as late novelist, poet, and critic, Chinua Achebe.
Achebe was regarded as one of the central figures of modern African literature and his first novel, Things Fall Apart, was his magnum opus.
Charly Boy’s annoyance may have been ignited by a statement attributed to Prof. Soyinka, where he said the inability of the supporters of the Labour Party, LP, otherwise known as Obidients, to accept criticism has now become their badge of honour.
In a statement titled “Fascism on Course,” which was released on Friday, April 8, 2023, the literary giant said in part;
“It would appear that a record discharge of toxic sludge from our notorious smut factory is currently clogging the streets and sewers of the Republic of Liars.
“It goes to prove the point that provoked the avalanche EXACTLY! The seeds of incipient fascism in the political arena have evidently matured. A climate of fear is being generated.
“The refusal to entertain corrective criticism, even differing perspectives of the same position has become a badge of honour and certificate of commitment.” Read Prof. Soyinka’s full statement here.
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Oputa wrote that Prof. Soyinka has lost all forms of respect he had for the latter.
“The kin respect I had for dis man, was almost the kind of respect I had for my stainless father, The Socrates of the Supreme Court. It has finally dawned on me that Soyinka can never be the man Chinua Achebe was.
“Look at a man many Nigerians put on such high pedestal reducing himself to a boyiboyi for criminal politicians.
“What a f..king big shame😢” he stated.
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Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
