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Soyinka calls for probe of ‘Yar’Adua’s concealment’
By
Joseph Jibueze and Miriam Ndikanwu Frid July
22,2011
Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka yesterday set the first test
for the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.
The new law, he said, should be used to unravel the concealment
from Nigerians for almost one year of the late President Umaru
Musa Yar’Adua.
Soyinka urged President Goodluck Jonathan to unmask those behind
the hiding of an ailing President and who signed the
Appropriation Bill purportedly signed by the late Yar’Adua.
Soyinka spoke on the topic: “Making FoI Law work for Nigeria” at
a Townhall Meeting organised by the Newspaper Proprietors of
Nigeria (NPAN) in Lagos.
He said Nigerians deserved to know the circumstances under which
the late Yar’Adua was hidden.
His words: “Many people think it’s all over. I beg to disagree.
In this country, we had an instance where a whole human being
was concealed for several months. This phantom actually
travelled to Saudi Arabia, came back, still in concealment, in
the dead of the night.
“Lights were doused at the airport and the phantom moved back to
the seat of government. This phantom was not just an ordinary
phantom. This phantom was a representative of the entire public
will of Nigerians. He vanished out of sight for nearly a year.
“For many people the incident is over, but it’s not. We want to
know how it was possible. Who were the people involved? What
document was signed that passed for the Appropriation Bill? Who
authorised it? Whose signature appeared on the document?
“Who was the major security involved in this act of concealment?
Were any members of the family involved? Were members of Senate
involved? Were foreign powers involved? Physically, that episode
is over, but knowledge is unending – it is not yet over.
“And so, I’m challenging the government of Jonathan and the
public to put this Freedom of Information Act to the test, with
one of the most melodramatic incidents that this country has
ever witnessed.
“You can say that it is the dramatist in me, which is looking
for material to write a play – it does not matter. If you call
it vulgar curiosity, it does not matter. As a citizen, I have a
right to know.
“I challenge the public and President to put teeth into this law
by setting up and making public the proceedings and the findings
of that panel set to find out what happened to the President of
this nation for nearly an entire year. This is where it begins.”
Soyinka said the public, as the jury, and what he called the
structure of justice exist to ensure that the spirit of the FoI
Act is carried out to the letter. The government, he added, must
be ready to answer to public pressure. “Nigeria, if it believes
in absolute truth, cannot deny it to its citizens,” he said.
The playwright went on: “It is not enough for a government to
rely on the Official Secret Act, and it is not enough for the
public to constantly accept that as an excuse for concealing
issues in which the public’s interest is involved, and the very
essence of governance is in the public interest.
“It is important, not just for the government, but for all of us
here, to put the Information Act to the test as soon as possible
with that undeniable agenda, which is to learn a little bit
about the truth about ourselves.
Soyinka hailed the role played by Wikileak in exposing lies and
deception by governments around the world, saying: “In some
societies, silence is a liar – an arrogant, disdainful liar,
contemptuous of the public clamour that power be openly
accountable.
“The psychological impact not only on the exposed, but on the
yet protected is considerable – the swagger of indifference
gives way to nervous glances over the shoulder. Am I next? What
else do they know?
“The web of silence is gradually shredded as the lies as
camouflaged for years, decades, even generations are exposed.
Like a soap opera addiction, the public cannot wait for the next
installment.”
He defended Wikileaks, saying: “If the collateral damage caused
by the detonation of the nugget of truth far exceeds its ethical
benefits and even threatens collapse of society, it is necessary
for us to argue for the devil as we could see. Maybe the axis on
which the world spins after all is not merely virtual, but is
actually secrecy and concealment.”
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola said the people reserve
the right to know how government affairs are conducted.
“We’ll ensure that judges are familiar with not only the law,
but all societal incidents. Everybody must recognise that the
rights conferred under that law are essentially to be exercised
for the purpose of enabling Nigeria to prosper.
“We must also recognise that rights are never absolute. They
bring with them certain corresponding duties,” Fashola said.
Activist-lawyer Femi Falana said only the courts can determine
what is not in the public’s interest, and not any officer of
government.
“It is not within the purview of a public officer to determine
what is in the public interest; you must send the information to
the courts for the judge to determine whether the information is
privileged in the interest of the public or in the interest of a
particular officer.”
Other speakers at the event were Canadian Commissioner for
Informaton, Ms. Suzanne Legault; Niger State Governor Muazu
Babangida Aliyu; representative of the Attorney-General and
Minister of Justice, Prof Peter Ape; representative of Ekiti
State governor, Mr Funmiyi Afuye; former Civil Liberties
Organisation President, Ayo Obe and Prof Chidi Odinkalu.
Others are: NPAN President Nduka Obaigbena; frontline
journalist, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, publisher of
BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun; The News CEO Bayo Onanuga; Media
Review’s Lanre Idowu; House of Representatives member Abike
Dabiri-Erewa; and Newswatch CEO Ray Ekpu.
Others are Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Alhaji
Ismaila Isa, who chaired the event; activist-journalist Richard
Akinnola; Professor of Mass Communication Ralph Akinfeleye,
former Finance Minister Dr Kalu Idika Kalu and Chief Executive
Officer of Channels Television, John Momoh.
Culled from The Nation
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