Of mean and foul spirits, by Simbo Olorunfemi

Last Saturday, Prof Wole Soyinka was at the 60th Birthday celebration of Mr Rotimi Amaechi in Abuja.

The timing was not exactly convenient for him as he was only able to be there for a short while as a ‘fidihe’ Chairman, leaving the substantive duty to Cardinal Onayekana, as he took his leave to catch a plane.

It would become evident later in the day why he had to leave early. He had to be in Lagos that same day for another event.

But his presence, and his words more importantly, spoke volumes.
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He did not only make time out to be present, he even accepted to be the Chairman of the occasion, a role which some of us would not ordinarily associate with him. As he himself put it, it’s not a position best suited to his temperament. He really doesn’t like to be the Chairman of anything.

But he did accept to be to honour Amaechi for his ‘fighting spirit’ and as a reciprocal gesture for the honour done by Amaechi in hosting a mini literary festival in Rivers back then to celebrate his 80th Birthday. That apart from his service to the literary community in the designation of Port Harcourt as the UNESCO Book Capital of the World in 2014.

In other words, this was Wole Soyinka going the extra mile to be at that event to reciprocate a good gesture, which is what it should be.

From what I know of WS, he is a man who treasures every little act of kindness shown to him and would always go miles to express his appreciation for that when the opportunity for a payback offers itself.

That is what I saw played out. So, even if for only a few hours, he had to be with Amaechi in Abuja, dashing off to the Airport shortly after he made the opening remarks to catch his flight.

That show of love, appreciation and solidarity, was instructive, for me. But more of interest and importance to me, was part of what he said at the Amaechi event about how mean spiritedness has seemingly caught up with so many that they no longer know where to draw the line that even joyous occasions would be fouled by these mean spirits. It is ridiculous to see the extent to which people would go on account of political disagreement.

It is sickening to see people lose regard for civility, courtesy, age or whatever else we used to attach a bit of sanctity on the altar of pleasing the mob on social media.

It is the age of tyrants, limited by binary assumption that everything has to be gbas-gbos. They go around with two boxes, insisting it can only be this or that. No depth to thought.

People now roam around here and all they need is to assume one’s ethnicity and pronto, they wear one of a political leaning or persuasion, and that colours their thoughts and words.

Nothing better illustrates the point that being of different political persuasions does not, or should not, degenerate to the point of enmity and/or disrespect for civility than the symbolism of Soyinka’s presence at an Amaechi event and Tinubu event on the same day, even when they are now poles apart in terms of political direction is instructive. But that is obviously lost to some of our folks.

Indeed, his presence at the ‘commissioning’ of the 1st leg of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway became an excuse for the perennial dragging by the same elements who have not forgiven him for a series of sins, chief of which is his calling out a gbajue scheme by his real name rather than sugarcoat it.

Some fellows here try to make the jest of Soyinka’s claim to fascination with the road, as some afterthought or talking point. Some of our educated people and their underwhelming world view. You assume Wole Soyinka’s fascination with the road as a Coastal road creation? You don’t know the relationship between Ogun and the Road? You don’t know about Eni-Ogun’s life-long relationship with the road, starting with his 1965 play of the same title, his activities as a Road Safety Activist and Chair of the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Like many others, he has his own choices or preferences that appeal to him. Hunting, Wining, Space travel are some. His fascination with the road, moreso as Eni-Ogun, is also well documented. Everything is not politics. People do things for reasons outside of that limited window.

Indeed, if there is anyone that should serve as a pointer to the need to eschew bitterness, especially one that might have come on account of political differences, which shouldn’t even be, it is Prof Wole Soyinka.

If you see him with General Yakubu Gowon, you won’t believe it was the same man that has him put in solitary confinement in prison for years, for his stand on the Nigerian Civil war. If you see him with President Olusegun Obasanjo, you won’t believe that they have, for years, thrown verbal darts in each other’s direction. If you see him with President Tinubu, you would be mistaken to assume it as agreement on all fours or an endorsement. You might even find it difficult to believe that he didn’t support President Tinubu’s run for Presidency. Having failed to convince him not to run, Wole Soyinka supported Mr Peter Obi in the last election.

The irony is that it is largely those who proclaim to support Mr Obi who have formed themselves into an online vanguard to ‘drag’ the Nobel laureate, passing around blatant falsehood about his person and record.

Those who know will attest to the fact that Wole Soyinka has hardly ever supported a mainstream party or candidate. Just as it is with other areas of his life, he has always been more inclined towards the narrow path. He was of Aminu Kano’s Talakawa Peoples’ Redemption Party in the Second Republic. He supported Kingsley Moghalu. No surprises at his choice of Peter Obi in 2023.

But that is as far as it goes, the idea that because he supported a candidate should now make him declare a loss a win just to please some people is utterly ridiculous. He has never been one to be bullied into taking a position. He has always chosen his path, as it should be for everyone. The idea that whoever is not of our political persuasion must be set up for ‘drags’, cancelled or bullied is repulsive.

Unfortunately, that cancel culture has now taken on a huge life of its own online. Foul and mean spirits are roaming around aimlessly seeking whom to devour. It has become a cult, anyone who dares break away is designated an enemy, tagged a mole and set up to be harassed and bullied by the faithfuls. It is a particularly sad spectacle on X. Not even people’s private lives, jobs, businesses and families are exempt, with threats to life becoming a tool in the box of these mean-spirited people.

To think that it is all about politics, and these fights are on behalf or in support of politicians who might never know of their existence.

For a member of one group to be seen of one online group to be seen offline in the company of a member of another group is frowned at, and often met with strong disapproval, disclaimer and even cancellation. All of these because of politics.

It needs to be restated, you do not have to be in agreement with someone’s political disposition to have or maintain a decent personal or professional relationship with him.

You, of all men, is most miserable if all of your friends and associates only see life through one eye and you all are of the same persuasion.

This idea that friendships or relationships have to be structured around politics or political persuasions is silly and counter-productive.

No one should need another person’s permission on who to be friends with. These foul and mean spirits need to get a life. Politics should not become an excuse to further the divide.

It is not beyond them to come with comments here to confirm their identities and affirm all that we have said.