Wole Soyinka, Late Fela Anikulapokuti And Gani Fawehinmi
NOBEL laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has joined the growing list of eminent Nigerians who are planning to refuse the national honours due to be conferred on 100 of the nation's outstanding citizens over the last century. On Friday, President Goodluck Jonathan will be conferring awards on 100 prominent Nigerians as part of the government's centenary year celebrations. Professor Soyinka said: "I would have preferred that the entire day of infamy be ignored altogether.
I'm even thinking favourably of just ignoring the obscenity, then turning up at the counter-event."Already, Fela's son Femi Anikulapo-Kuti has said his family will reject the honour unless the government first of all apologies for the murder of his grandmother and the burning down of his father's house Kalakuta Republic. Members of family of the late human rights icon, Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), have rejected an award meant for the deceased Senior Advocate of Nigeria as part of the country’s centenary. The family said the late legal icon would not have received any award at a time that insurgents are killing innocent citizens in the north and when the nation is in the throes of debilitating corruption allegations as in the case of missing $20bn oil funds. The family also said it could not receive the award because of the inclusion on the list of recipients a former dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, “who as military president, severally detained and tortured our late father.”
The letter was signed by the son of the late legal icon, Mohammed.
Punch And News Watch.
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