Soyinka Joins Growing List Of Those Rejecting Centenary Award

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 is on
the list along with the likes of
Professor Chinua Achebe, Chief Gani
Fawehinmi, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,
Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, Nwankwo
Kanu, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chief
Mike Adenuga and Pastor Enoch
Adeboye, among others.

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."

On the government's list are several
military dictators who Professor
Soyinka has fought against over the
last 50 years including the likes of
General Ibrahim Babangida and
General Sani Abacha. 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.

Professor Soyinka has now joined
the list of those questioning the
criteria for nominating these
outstanding 100 Nigerians. He has
said he will not attend the ceremony
and instead has asked why the
government has not seen it fit to
look at the list of Nigeria's 20 most
outstanding doctors over the last
100 years.

This list includes Sir Samuel
Manuwa, Professor John Edozien, Dr
Moses Majekodunmi, Professor
Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, Professor
Oladipo Akinkugbe, Professor
Latunde Odeku, Professor Nelson
Oyesiku and Dr Funmi Olopade.
Others on the list include Professor
Oyin Olurin, Professor Orishejolomi
Thomas, Professor Bello Osagie, Dr
Beko Ransome-Kuti, Professor Ade
Elebute, Dr Akinola Maja, Professor
Femi Williams, Professor Ambrose
Alli, Dr Dalhatu Tafida, Professor
Ishaya Audu, Professor Oladele
Ajose and Professor Tola Adebonojo
among others.

Professor Soyinka has said he will
endeavour, however, to be at the
centenary awards planned in London
on June 27 during which diasporans
will honour 100 outstanding
Nigerians in the UK. At a gala dinner
due to take place at Waltham Forest
Town Hall in east London tagged
Nigerian Centenary Awards UK,
diasporans will hand out honours to
100 Nigerians who have excelled in
various fields in the UK over the last
100 years.