Over
a year ago, when MuhdLawal published online the following statement attributed
to Professor Wole Soyinka — “When you marry an illiterate woman as a wife, you
make stupid decisions like Jonathan” — Soyinka wrote a strongly worded
rejoinder, saying that at no time did he say anything like that.
In
the wake of Mrs Patience Jonathan’s vilification in the media, on account of
her insensitive response to the abduction of the Chibok school girls, Soyinka’s
alleged abuse has resurfaced.
From
his base in California, Professor Soyinka has sent yet another rebuttal. In it,
he appeals to all well-meaning online editors for their intervention in
terminating what he describes as “the disgusting career of the fabrication”.
In
a disclaimer titled “To All On-Line Media” signed by Prof. Soyinka he wrote:
“I
appeal for your intervention in terminating the disgusting career of the
fabrication contained in the above on-line posting. It commenced over a year
ago, I seem to recollect, as a telephone text, ‘tweet’ or whatever it is
called, died away after strong rebuttals, and is now being provided renewed
life by some faceless cowards with their own private agenda. Let me state quite
clearly that literacy is no indicator of intelligence, even though we all
believe (I hope) in universal literacy. From childhood I have interacted with
so-called “illiterate” men and women, sipped from their innate intelligence,
and learnt much from them outside formal schooling.
He
noted that: “While I have on occasion found myself compelled to publicly
chastise Mrs. Jonathan over unacceptable conduct, I have NEVER referred to her
as “illiterate” nor linked President Jonathan’s governance with his wife’s
educational attributes or lack thereof.
“I
therefore repudiate this statement that could only have stemmed from some
ignorant clod, who is additionally devoid of the moral courage of his or her
own untenable convictions. Your readers may wish to know that when I first
encountered the statement, I was sufficiently appalled to send a personal
message to Patience Jonathan dissociating myself from such a base sentiment.
“The
associated commentary on the president’s decisions – I have no idea which
decision, if any – is equally outrageous and disgusting. To attribute to me the
slightest interest in the choice of a spouse by man or woman is a complete
travesty of my near obsessive belief in the sanctity of private relationships.
I intend to take whatever legal steps are available once we have succeeded in
tracing the source of this execrable material.
“A
similar shameless telephone posting was inaugurated some weeks ago, with my
name attached to it, urging the public to rise and do something or the other.
Let me take this opportunity to announce yet again that I do not tweet, blog or
whatever goes on in this increasingly promiscuous medium.
“I
do not run a Facebook, even though I am aware that one or two serious-minded
individuals/groups have instituted some such forum on their own, for the
purpose of disseminating factual information on my activities. I neither
contribute to, nor comment on the contents of their “calendar”.
“I
shall appreciate your immediate help in this matter. To speak generally,
Internet abuse is getting to be a universal plague, one that goes beyond
personal embarrassment and umbrage.
“I
strongly recommend collective, professional action to protect the integrity of
the medium, and save it from becoming a mere vomitorium for unprincipled
scallywags with, or even with no particular axe to grind. Such a trend is
fraught with outright danger, and should not be underestimated.
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