News
Declare State Of Emergency In South-West – Wole Soyinka Tells Buhari
The Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Thursday expressed concerns over the spate of insecurity in the South-Western part of the country.
The literary Icon and Renowned Playwright said that there is the need for urgent action to be taken by Stakeholders to address the issue.
He stated this while speaking with Journalists at the Fagunwa Study Group Second International Conference, held in Akure, Ondo State.
The conference was themed: ‘Wole Soyinka: Wole Soyinka, D.O Fagunwa and the Yoruba artistic heritage.’
The event was also organised to celebrate Prof. Soyinka’s 85th birthday.
Soyinka said: “As regard the insecurity in the South-West, there is an emergency.
“There should be a declaration of security emergency throughout the land and measures taken accordingly.
“There are many directions of security lapses, you know it here, especially in Ondo State, it is a calamity throughout the whole nation. There is an emergency.”
He commended the Ondo State Government for celebrating arts and culture, particularly as the state built an event centre which accommodates arts and cultural events.
The State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, in his remarks, said Nigerians were being encouraged and motivated by Soyinka’s writings and activities over the several decades of his engaging years.
“This is because they have elevated in our minds, the art of partisan living, as the biggest ideal of social reclamation.
“Indeed, his life at every station has taught us that to make a meaning of life, a man must set forth at dawn and immerse himself at the epicenter of beliefs, struggles and activities which seek to reclaim society and help it attain its spontaneous fullness of being.” Akeredolu stated.
Prof. Wole Soyinka had recently urged Nigerians to defend their lands against the RUGA project of the federal government.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
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