Nobel Laureate and foremost playwright Professor Wole Soyinka has lauded the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 presidential election.
Soyinka, in an interview with CNBC Africa TV yesterday, monitored by our correspondent, said the election of the retired soldier cum politician is good for Nigeria.
“Situations change, human beings change; I believe Buhari is a changed person. He knew that he had wronged the civil population in the past and he is willing to make amends. We should encourage him,” he said.
Soyinka, however, disagreed with the President-elect’s stance that he would not probe past cases of corruption in the country. “I don’t agree with Buhari that he should not probe the past. If it is necessary to probe, please probe. If it is necessary for people to make restitution, they should. No corrupt individual should be allowed to go scot free,” he said.
He stressed that Buhari has the capacity to rule Nigeria well, “I believe he is a converted democrat as he said. One thing about him is that he is a straight person.”
Soyinka also described President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to concede defeat as heroic. “This was Jonathan’s finest moment and that is something he can take to his grave whenever that takes place,” he said.
He also gave the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega “a good pass mark” for conducting an acceptable election, even though “the commission could have done better.”
