The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, was practically back in the field of struggle on Wednesday morning when he appeared in court in solidarity with the Convener of the RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore.
Soyinka has always been at the forefront of human rights struggle and the fight for good governance.
The Nobel laureate demonstrated soft spot for the Buhari government at the initial stage, after succumbing, like many other Nigerians, the ‘lesser evil’ in terms of the choice between Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 election.
But he had eloquently distanced himself from the spirit of the government following some policies and programs introduced, which he considered anti federalism and anti-people.
As a result, he has criticised Buhari when the government wanted to create RUGA colonies and when it detained Sowore longer than the constitution allows and after the court had ordered his release.
He and Sowore were spotted together in Abuja on Tuesday, in what looked like a foregrounding of his attending the trial today.
Also at the Federal High Court in Abuja to solidarise with the Sahara Reporters publisher a former senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani later joined him.
Sani, an activist, who exchanged banters with the playwright, later took a seat behind him, as reported by ‘The Punch’.
A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, and another activist, Deji Adeyanju, later arrived.
The court had yet to commence sitting as of the time of filing this report at 9.44 am on Wednesday.
The Department of State Services had in August 2019 arrested Sowore and his codefendant, Olawale Bakare, in respect of the protest.
They were subsequently charged with a treasonable felony for allegedly planning to topple the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, among other counts including abusing the President.
They were held in custody for over four months until mounting domestic and international pressure forced the government to release them in December.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had fixed Tuesday for the commencement of trial but had to adjourn till Wednesday due to her official assignment elsewhere.
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meanwhile, enjoy this love poem
