President Buhari inherited a ‘heavy baggage’ from Jonathan – Soyinka
– Wole Soyinka said that President Muhammadu Buhari inherited a “heavy baggage” from his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan
– He called on the president to clean up the mess and improve the economy
– Professor Kole Omotoso said that Buhari and his administration were going in the right direction, adding that the president must intensify his effort to alleviate sufferings of Nigerians
Professor Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate and Nigerian playwright, has said that the administration of the former president Goodluck Jonnathan left a “heavy baggage” and “burden”. He noted that it would take time for President Muhammadu Buhari to clear the rot he inherited from his predecessor.
The Nation reports that Soyinka expressed his opinion speaking at a public lecture titled “Politics, Culture and the New Africa” held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“This (Buhari) administration has inherited a heavy baggage. While I am critical in some aspects of the priority, I think that to clear up the mess left by previous administrations is going to take quite a while, especially in the economy sector. So, I don’t use words like optimism or pessimism; I’m just pragmatic. I look at what is on the ground and, of course, wherever I can intervene, I do both privately and publicly,” he said.
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Another renowned author Professor Kole Omotoso said that the president and his administration were going in the right direction. However, he added that Buhari must intensify his effort to alleviate sufferings of Nigerians.
“We are going in the right direction but in the process, we need to do so many things. We need to look at not just the suffering of the people but the way people seem to indulge in bearing suffering. It is as if even if you try to solve the problem for them they will prefer to be suffering and smiling,” he said.
A few weeks ago, Soyinka criticized the presidency for its inability to stop the continual attacks of Fulani herdsmen.
According to him, the President Buhari-led administration was yet to come up with an articulate solution to tackle the menace.
“I have yet to hear this government articulate a firm policy of non-tolerance for the serial massacres that have become the nation’s identification stamp.
“I have not heard an order given that any cattle herders caught with sophisticated firearms be instantly disarmed, arrested, placed on trial, and his cattle confiscated,” he said.
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