The
Nigerian police has been described as a tool for undermining democracy
if it goes ahead to stop people from protesting against the government.
Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has said it is a great
disappointment that the police is attempting to stifle the planned
nationwide protest slated for Monday against the policies of President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration causing hardship to the people.
The scholar said the act is a "disservice to the cause of democracy.”
This comes after legendary musician, Innocent Idibia, also known as
Tuface, was cowered by security operatives to call off the planned
protest for which he had added his voice to rally against the government
over the harsh situation of things in the land. Tuface was forced to
call off the protest citing “Security challenges”
But in a statement issued on Sunday titled, “Again at risk-The rights of lawful assemblage”, Prof.
Soyinka said he has sent a message to the Inspector General of Police
(IGP), through the Lagos State Police Commissioner, urging him to
respect and safeguard the constitutional rights of the people to freedom
of expression.
“I hope that, even at this eleventh hour, legality and the democratic imperative will prevail”.
Soyinka noted that from the beginning, the organizers had cited
quite an extensive list of areas of concern and demands for urgent
attention from the Buhari administration.
“I do not know of any citizens of civilized community who do
not subscribe to the fundamental right of the freedom of expression in
any form, as long as it is peaceful, and non-injurious to humanity”, he said.
The noble laureate said he found, “the Police attempt to
reverse the hands of the democratic clock more appalling at a time when
open demonstrations are taking place all over the world against the
policies of a recently elected president of the United States, whose
democratic formula this nation allegedly serves as Nigeria’s adopted
model."
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