Atiku urges Soyinka to debate Chimamanda, his literary fellow
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Wole Soyinka, a Nobel laureate challenging Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed to a television debate is a mismatch, says Atiku Abubakar, arguing a man of letters should not ply his trade with a politician.
Instead, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate asked Soyinka to debate a fellow literary person, Chimamanda Adichie, who supports Obidients.
“Am told Prof. Soyinka asked to debate Datti. No, he should ask to debate Chimamanda Adichie. Datti is a politician, Soyinka is not, so it will be an unfair debate,” Atiku argued in a tweet through his spokesman Daniel Bwala.
“But both Soyinka and Chimamanda trade on literature and grammar. #Soyinkadebatechimamanda.
“When he tries Chimamanda, he will understand the phrase ‘nobody has the monopoly of knowledge.’ It will certainly be the case of David v Goliath.”
Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party (LP) vice presidential candidate, declared on Channels Television on March 22 that Nigeria has no President-elect despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcing Bola Tinubu as the winner of the election on February 25.
He insisted Tinubu would be leading an unconstitutional government if sworn into office because he “has not met requirements of the law.”
Soyinka on Channels Television last week took issue with Baba-Ahmed for saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate should not be sworn in as President on May 29 because the election was allegedly rigged for him.
__________________________________________________________________
Related articles:
Soyinka advocates for South East Presidency – five weeks after the vote
Charly Boy slams Soyinka after comment on Obidients
Agbakoba joins agitation for tribunal judgment before May 29
__________________________________________________________________
Obidients prompt further reaction from Soyinka
Obidients reacted in fury. That prompted Soyinka to issue a statement in which he challenged Baba-Ahmed to debate on Channels Television.
“If Channels feel up to it,” Soyinka said, “I offer myself willing to engage Mr Datti – or any nominee of his – on its platform on this very bone of contention – one-on-one – without the malodorous intervention of media trolls, and with the same interviewer as mediator. That should be taken as a serious offer,” Soyinka said, per reporting by The PUNCH.
“Project Nigeria, I must confess, has become near terminally soul-searing. Do I still believe in it? I am no longer certain but – first, we must rid ourselves of the tyranny of the ignorant and the opportunism of time servers. In any case, there is not much else to engage one on a foundation of ownership stakes.
But Atiku told Soyinka at the weekend his challenge is to the wrong person.