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| Prof Wole Soyinka |
Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has resigned as Chair
of the Centre for Black Culture and International
Understanding (CBCIU), Osogbo, Osun State.
In a statement yesterday night he said he is quitting “to
express my frustration and embarrassment at the
persistence of sectors of the media in designating the
situation as some kind of hustle for position between
two individuals. This is painful reductionism. In any
case, I am left with no choice but to openly demand of
the governor of Osun State the immediate and formal
acceptance of my resignation letter from CBCIU
chairmanship.”
Prof Soyinka and former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola
have been at war over the chairmanship of the centre
since the appointment of Soyinka as chair by Governor
Rauf Aregbesola.
Oyinlola had kicked against the appointment of Soyinka,
saying it was wrong.
In his resignation, Soyinka stated, “I undertook this
assignment on principle – quite apart from my
sentimental attachment to the political constituency of
my late friend, Bola Ige, assassinated by those very
forces against which CBCIU must remain resolutely
embattled.
More relevant however is that I have always found it
despicable conduct when an elected individual diverts
the resources of the people over whom he presides to
carving out for himself a sinecure. Self-service should
not be read in the vocabulary of anyone fortunate
enough to be called to serve his or her people.”
He added that since he was out of the country, he found
it necessary to resign so as not to accused of contempt
of court in a case which he was not even aware was in
court.
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