Soyinka said the government had been negligent, noting that the herdsmen crisis had resulted into the ‘massacre’ of hundreds of innocent people.
He said this on Sunday in his Ijegba, Abeokuta, Ogun State home, when he hosted 85 pupils who were finalists in this year’s essay competition that is part of the annual exchange programme that marks his birthday.
He cocked 85 on Saturday.
Explaining the delicate situation the country had found itself to the pupils drawn from different pats of the country, he said:
“Look at what is happening today, how is it possible for me to say for instance that I am pro this government, it is being negligent, look at what is happening with the cattle all over the place. That is a security issue which should never have reached this level.
“I am sure that carelessness and single act which has resulted in hundreds of people being massacred in their farms , and their farms taken over; have wiped away a lot of the positive achievements of the government.
“It is an issue that is very serious and which concerns the welfare of you and me that any carelessness or any failure there is totally unforgivable and unpardonable. It is not that one likes to criticise for the sake of criticising; no. It is just that we believe that there is a minimal level which any government which has been elected to power must achieve to be considered a true representative of the people. So, I am afraid I am waiting for you to grow up and become president.”
“Politicians that money has gone into their heads misdirect themselves in terms of priority, they neglect some sections, some of them are nepotistic and some of them alienate themselves from the public which is the people they are supposed to serve and govern and they think they are still colonial masters, especially when we went through the military period.”
