Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent nationwide address concerning the ongoing protests in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Soyinka expressed his disappointment with the government’s approach to handling the demonstrations.

Soyinka noted that while the president’s speech highlighted the government’s efforts since taking office, it failed to address the management of the protests adequately. He condemned the use of live ammunition and tear gas against peaceful protesters, calling it a “retrogression” reminiscent of colonial-era disregard for civil rights.

“I set my alarm clock this morning to ensure I did not miss President Bola Tinubu’s much-anticipated address on the current unrest across the nation.

His outline of the government’s remedial actions since inception, aimed at preventing such unrest, will undoubtedly receive thorough scrutiny for effectiveness and content. My primary concern, however, is the ongoing decline in how the state manages protests, a critical area where the presidential address was notably lacking,” Soyinka remarked.

He further criticized the “short-changing of civic deserving,” which he argued emboldens security forces to act with impunity, trapping the nation in a cycle of resentment and retaliation.

“The state’s response with live bullets to civic protest is a grave issue. Even the use of tear gas is questionable in most cases, especially during peaceful protests. Hunger marches are a universal distress call, not unique to Nigeria. They serve as a warning to the government that a breaking point has been reached, and thus, a measure of governance’s awareness of public desperation. The unfortunate response to these marches in parts of the nation, despite prior notice, marks a regression even more severe than the tragic climax of the ENDSARS protests. It recalls the disdainful actions of the colonial era, which inspired Hubert Ogunde’s folk opera BREAD AND BULLETS and led to his persecution by the colonial authorities.”

Soyinka emphasized that Nigeria’s security agencies should be aware of more progressive models for managing protests. He referenced the “YELLOW VEST” movement in France during 2022/23, noting the absence of firearms used against protesters, even during direct confrontations.

“The use of bullets when bread is asked for signals a dangerous regression, foreshadowing potentially more severe upheavals, including revolutions. It is long overdue to abandon the outdated practice of using lethal force by security agencies. No nation, regardless of its level of development or internal security, should lack the resolve to set a positive example. It requires recalling our own history and committing to a transformative change, breaking the cycle of lethal responses against civil society,” Soyinka said.

He suggested that today’s protesters might consider using the songs from Ogunde’s BREAD AND BULLETS to instill a sense of shame in the ongoing failure to move beyond the colonial legacy. “One way or another, this vicious cycle must be broken,” Soyinka concluded.