Wole Soyinka is being trolled by Peter Obi's supporters over the Nobel laureate's criticism of their conduct.
Former Kaduna Central District senator, Shehu Sani, and a former President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, Chukuwudi Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, have added their voices to the controversies over the positions of two of Nigeria's literature icons on contemporary natiinal political issues.
Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, had criticised the conduct of the supporters of the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, while Chimamanda Adichie had urged US President Joe Biden not to congratulate President-elect Bola Tinubu.
Mr Obi's supporters, known as the Obidients, have been up in arms against the literarature icon over his comments.
In an interview with Channels Television, Mr Soyinka said he told Mr Obi that if he lost the election, it would be his followers who lost it for him.
Since Mr Soyinka's comments, the Obidients have disparaged him on social media.
Mr Soyinka doubled down in a statement titled, "'Fascism on course."
Soyinka accuses 'Obidients' of fascism, says they don't 'entertain corrective criticism'
In a related development on Thursday, another Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie, in her open letter to the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, alleged that the 2023 presidential election was marred by violence, ballot box snatching, voter intimidation, and other malpractices.
The letter attracted to Ms Adichie criticism from supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In his reaction, Mr Sani in a twitter post on Friday said the criticisms have made Messrs Soyinka and Chimamanda to be in the ring of Nigeria's political battle.
"The opposition supporters are going after Prof Wole Soyinka & the ruling party supporters are going after Chimamanda Adichie;The great literary giants are now in the ring of Nigeria's political battle.This is a positive development other African countries are not privileged to have."
The opposition supporters are going after Prof Wole Soyinka & the ruling party supporters are going after Chimamanda Adichie;The great literary giants are now in the ring of Nigeria's political battle.This is a positive dev. other African countries are not privileged to have.-- Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) April 7, 2023
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He also said, "In 2011, any northerner opposed to the ambition of Buhari was considered an infidel. After the elections, mobs resorted to violence and invaded the homes of members of the PDP and killed their family members & burned down their houses.If those were not fascists, Peter's guys are not."
In 2011,any northerner opposed to the ambition of Buhari was considered an infidel.After the elections,mobs resorted to violence & invaded the homes of members of the PDP & killed their family members & burned down their houses.If those were not fascists,Peter's guys are not.-- Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) April 7, 2023
But Charly boy, in a post on his Twitter page, went after Mr Soyinka, saying, "The kin respect I had for dis man, was almost the kind of respect I had for my stainless father, The Socrates of the Supreme Court. It has finally dawned on me that Soyinka can never be the man Chinua Achebe was."
The kin respect I had for dis man, was almost the kind of respect I had for my stainless father, The Socrates of the Supreme Court.It has finally dawned on me that Soyinka can never be the man Chinua Achebe was. pic.twitter.com/jlwqp7y8eb-- Charly Boy Area Fada 1 (@AreaFada1) April 8, 2023
