Soyinka: I didn't insult Igbo in Harvard speech

Soyinka: I didn't insult Igbo in Harvard speech

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 11:16 am


Soyinka: I did not denigrate Igbo

Soyinka: I did not denigrate Igbo

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has denied describing Igbo as politically naive people, who vote based on their stomach.

The online news medium, The Cable had attributed this statement to Soyinka, as part of what he said in a lecture titled ‘Predicting Nigeria, Electoral Ironies’ at Harvard University Hutchins Centre for African and African American Research in the United States.

Soyinka was quoted to have said, according to the fake report that “Igbo remained unrepentant and resolute towards their strategic objective of secession at worst; or a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction at best.”

Soyinka stoutly rebutted this attribution in a statement today, describing the false peddlers as morons, with ulterior motives.

“I have just read a statement attributed to me on a news outlet, evidently one of the Internet infestations. My lecture at the Hutchins Centre, Harvard University, was video recorded. Anyone who believes what I am alleged to have said must be a moron – repeat, a moron.

“It is demeaning, sickening and boring to have to deal with these cowards who cannot fight their own battles but must fasten their imbecilic pronouncements on others. Only the mentally retarded will credit this comment attributed to me regarding the Ndigbo voting pattern in the last elections.

“I strongly suspect the author of this despicable concoction, and may make a further statement, once the source is verified.”


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