allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Soyinka Blames Politicians for Arms in Varsities (Page 1 of 1)

Professor Wole Soyinka at the weekend took a swipe at the Nigerian political elite accusing them of promoting and arming cultists in Universities and turning around to accuse pirate confraternity.

This is coming as the National Association of Seadogs, honoured Publisher of THISDAY Newspaper, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, with "Outstanding Entrepreneurship Award in Journalism."

Obaigbena was honoured along side former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, and one Henry Otis Amuro, who was honoured for "Exemplary Commitment to the Cause of Qualitative Education in Nigeria." Mr Bisi Ogunbadejo represented Obaigbena at the event which attracted such personalities as Ambassadors of Italy and France as well as Wale Olaoye, Teju Alabi, Adeoye Dare, Colonel Kemi Peters and Dr Franklin Osaisai.

Soyinka said this at the 4th Annual Dinner and Lecture of National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confrater-nity). In a lecture entitled "Conrad Wins: Back in the Heart of Darkness", Soyinka said Nigeria is currently in the heart of darkness, which he said was being related to the probe that is going on in the country today.

He said ˜When I chose the title of Conrad Wins, I didn't mean Conrad was right. I only predicted in a very malicious way and unfortunately the people about whom he wrote have contributed a lot to trying to make his interpretation of this a reality.

He described as part of the manifestation of Conrad predictions the deliberate falsification by the political elite that confraternity masterminds violence in the country.˜They should go and look for those who are responsible for throwing acid on the faces of female students who rejected them. Go and look at the credentials and pedigrees of those who gang rape, or even going into student organizations and mowing down student union officials with marching guns, AK Riffles, supplied to them by their political masters.

"Go and look, you will find the children of the elite, the corrupt elite . You will find out that what happens in the campuses is a reflection of the series of political murders unprecedented levels we have been experiencing in this country for the past ten years.˜These are the real fathers, progenitors of the secret cults in this country. They are guilty of recruiting students organisations into their nefarious political activities, turning students to thugs, arming them, supplying them with drugs so they don't even know what they are doing."Soyinka attributed the current distortions of the normal universal college culture known as confraternities to the nefarious activities of these elite. He said College fraternity has become a norm all over the world as it provides avenues for college old mates to meet and fraternise.˜ If we look at the past presidents of the United Nations you will find out that all of them belong to one college fraternity or the other. We know that they still meet, on fraternity day, they go there with their wives, friends business partners".

"We know that many college presidents in Europe, in the United States meet and we know that confraternities are not evil. But they deliberately twist the credential of an organisation because they are afraid of the authentic principles and philosophy of the organization", he explained.

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