Why Nigeria Cannot Continue To Remain Together

Wole Soyinka

Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian Nobel laureate, has again said that there is no hope of Nigeria continuing together as one nation if the Federal Government fails to do the needful.

According to the foremost playwright, Nigeria cannot continue as one country unless it is decentralised as a matter of urgency.

Asked during an interview with Arise TV if he thinks that Nigeria can continue as one, Soyinka said, “Not if it continues this way. Not if it fails to decentralise. Some people use the word restructure, some people use the word…whatever. Not if it fails to decentralise.

“If Nigeria fails to decentralise and I mean, decentralise as fast as possible, manifestly not rhetoric, then Nigeria cannot stay together.

“Again this is not Wole Soyinka saying this. Generals have said it. Everybody has said; ex-heads of state have said it; analysts have said; economists have said it and that’s what is happening to the people on the streets; that’s why they’re moving; that’s why they’re demonstrating; that’s why they’re defying even threats from the police; from the government ‘if you demonstrate, you’re traitors, we’ll deal with you…we’ll speak to you in language which you’ll understand’.

“It doesn’t work with anybody any longer. Because the nation is on a suicide slide and the people feel that they do not deserve that kind of suicidal plunge and they have the right to say ‘sorry o, I’m getting out of this plane before it nose-dives.”