Build formidable block to challenge the current order, Soyinka urges youths

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka on Thursday urged Nigerian youths to build a formidable block that can challenge the current political order.

Soyinka, who made the comment at a press briefing faulted the youths for their inability to stake a claim in the country’s political arena.

“The youths of this nation don’t seem to want to take their destiny in their own hands,” he said.

He recalled that he was part of the move for youths to present a consensus candidate during the 2019 election but lamented that such did not materialise.

“Well, they failed to do that and I have a fear that this same thing will happen this year,” Soyinka explained.

The Nobel Laurette, who berated the two main political parties in Nigeria, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the gale of defections, said such incidents make it difficult to distinguish between the political parties.

“Look at the two major parties, there has been such cross over from one rivulet to another, each crossing having its own purpose that it is getting difficult to even distinguish between the two major parties,” Soyinka added.

As the 2023 elections draw near, Soyinka noted that he might be a spectator, describing the country’s political scene as “turbid”.

“So, very likely, all I would do is take French leave of the elections and just watch the results,” he maintained.