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Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has described those linking him to a social media post endorsing Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2023 presidency as illiterate public interlopers.
In a statement titled “Season of Fakery Galore,” on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, Soyinka distanced himself from the post saying, he has not thought about the 2023 elections let alone endorsed any aspirants for political positions.
The Facebook post, which went viral last November with a picture of the playwright and Tinubu quoted Soyinka as saying, “I have never involve myself in politics or campaign for any politician but in 2023 I will involve in politics and campaign for longtime friend in 1993 NADECO struggle. Nobel laurel, Professor Wole Soyinka.”
The post resurfaced on Monday, January 10, 2022, when the former governor of Lagos State declared his intention to run for president in 2023.
Soyinka said: “Here we go again. The same boring, illiterate public interlopers who lack the courage of their conviction and must steal the identities of their betters. One can only hope that the public has learnt to identify Fake News and join in the urgent task of exposing and disgracing these despicable touts.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I have not even thought 2023, much less inserted candidates into coveted positions. The signature of this latest moron is familiar — he or she does not even know the difference between ‘Laureate and Laurel.’
“This is an ancient forgery being recycled for the umpteenth time. Those who pass it round do themselves and their recipients a disservice. Find something worthwhile to occupy your time.
Recall that Soyinka in a statement last year denied praising Tinubu following a report that quoted him as saying among other things that Tinubu “nurtured many renowned national successors.”
Soyinka refuted the entire report, saying he had never said what was attributed to him.