Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has called for the immediate prosecution of Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua, wife of ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, for allegedly kidnapping her husband.
He also laid the blame of the recent Jos mayhem on the doorstep of security chiefs in the country.
Soyinka, who made the call at a rally tagged, “Women Arise for Change Initiative,” organised to mark the International Women’s Day in Lagos and the world over, accused the first lady of keeping her husband unduly and illegally under false imprisonment.
The 1,000-woman march kicked off from Allen Avenue in Ikeja and terminated at the Lagos State Governor’s Office in Alausa – where the marchers presented a letter for onward transfer to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
The rally brought together political and human rights activists: the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi; presiding pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, and Dr. Joe Okei Odumakin, among others .
In his address at the Allen Avenue roundabout, Soyinka said the first lady had kidnapped the president “under false imprisonment,” saying if it were in a civilized society, she should be in court by now for “kidnapping and false imprisonment,” which he said was far more than abusing her spouse.
Soyinka fumed: “Turai is also abusing a sovereign nation. She is abusing and insulting the intelligence of a nation. Release Yar’Adua now; stop insulting and belittling his family. Even his mother is not allowed to see him. This is sacrilege. I think we should begin criminal proceeding against Turai for kidnapping and false imprisonment of President Yar’Adua.”
He urged the first lady to release the president to enable him address his countrymen about his health condition, saying Nigerians “are no longer happy about the manner the first lady is insulting Nigeria”.
Speaking on the fresh Jos crisis, the Nobel laureate described Sunday’s massacre that left more than 200 persons dead as pathetic and sad. He said the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, and other security chiefs in Plateau State and the country should be held responsible for the carnage.
He also carpeted the lawmakers at the state and national assemblies for failing to do what was expected of them, saying they “are busy collecting Ghana Must Go” bags filled with state funds that could have been used to promote public welfare and well-being.
According to him, “IG and security forces were asleep while gun men unleashed mayhem on the innocent Nigerians in Jos. They should be held responsible. Worst still, the legislatures, instead of doing what is expected of them, are busy collecting Ghana Must Go. Women should rise up because women and children are the major victims of the crisis.”