By Ayomide Otitoju
Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has dismissed public expectations for him to evaluate President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that he will speak at his own time and not on anyone’s schedule.
“People should stop trying to work on my timetable for me,” Soyinka said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, addressing those urging him to fulfill his promise to assess Tinubu’s government after its first year in office on May 29, 2024.
“I had not swallowed an alarm clock,” he remarked. “I don’t see why I should put my alarm on and say, ‘One year has passed, now, I must make an assessment’ if there is nothing I feel like talking about and if I am busy elsewhere.”
Defending His Stance
Soyinka had previously visited Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, on December 24, 2023. When asked about his opinion on Tinubu’s leadership at the time, he stated he would reserve his comments until after one year in office.
With inflation at an all-time high and a worsening cost of living, critics have accused Tinubu’s government of economic mismanagement. As Tinubu’s administration nears its second year in May 2025, many had expected Soyinka to publicly assess the government’s performance.
However, the renowned playwright and activist dismissed such demands, emphasizing that assessing governance is a collective responsibility.
“This business of ‘you haven’t come to do this,’ I don’t understand it,” he said. “Other people are speaking—the Falanas, the Baiyewus, the Sowores—they are all actively engaging. It’s a collective effort.”
Soyinka further questioned why he was being singled out for commentary on Tinubu’s administration.
“The one year is up, meaning I have a right and a responsibility to respond when called upon. But if you are saying I should call a press conference to declare, ‘One year is up, let’s now make an assessment,’ I’d ask: Did I do that with Jonathan, Buhari, or Obasanjo? Why is it expected of me now?”
Soyinka reaffirmed that while he remains open to speaking on national issues, he will do so on his own terms and timing.
