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| 2 weeks after: Hutchins Centre fails to publish Soyinka's controversial video |
The Cable had reported that the Nobel Laureate opined that Ndi Igbo are the only people in the country who can be predicted accurately. According to the report, while delivering a lecture titled ‘Predicting Nigeria, Electoral Ironies’ at the Harvard University Hutchins Centre for African & African American Research, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Soyinka described Ndi Igbo as “greedy”.
“Igbos remained unrepentant and resolute towards their strategic objective of secession at worst; or a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction at best,” he said at the lecture, which held on April 29.
“The climax of MASSOB’s war against the Nigerian state was the call for sit-ins and civil disobedience that shut down markets and public services, as Igbos stayed at home in a symbolic gesture to assert Biafran independence. The call was honoured by governors in the two principal Ibo states, though without fanfare.
“The Igbos are probably the only group of Nigerians that you can predict with great accuracy whom they will vote for in an election, because they tend to put their votes where their stomachs take them; suffering as it were, from incurable money-mindedness, as they would stop at nothing in their quest for personal financial gain.” Commenting on the result of Nigeria’s presidential election.
Soyinka however, denied the comments attributed to him concerning the voting pattern of the Igbo in the March 28 presidential election. In an angry response to the story, Soyinka blasted The Cable: “I have just read a statement attributed to me on something called The CABLE, a news outlet, evidently one of the Internet infestations.
My lecture at the Hutchins Centre, Harvard University, was video recorded. “Anyone who believes what I am alleged to have said must be a moron – repeat, a moron. It is demeaning, sickening and boring to have to deal with these cowards who cannot fight their own battles but must fasten their imbecilic pronouncements on others. “Only the mentally retarded will credit this comment attributed to me regarding the Ndigbo voting pattern in the last elections. I strongly suspect the author of this despicable concoction, and may make a further statement, once the source is verified.”
To get to the root of the matter, and taking him on the challenge, The Biafran contacted the Hutchins Centre requesting for the video of the lecture and they promised to release the video within the week (see our correspondence below).
The Biafran correspondent has been monitoring the website and up till the time of filling this report, the video has not been posted.
The Biafran is wondering what exactly Soyinka had said that is stopping the Hutchins Centre from posting the video.
The Biafran and Hutchins Centre Correspondence:
Hutchins Center Harvard University responds to The Biafran over Soyinka's lecture brouhaha
Subject: Predicting Nigeria? Electoral Ironies by Wole Soyinka
Hutchins Center for African & African American Research,
Harvard University.
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Following the controversy trailing the talk given by Prof Wole Soyinka on the 29th of April, 2015 titled "Predicting Nigeria? Electoral Ironies", The Biafran, an online blog working for the restoration of the Republic of Biafra, wishes to request for the video of the talk or possibly transcript of the talk.
An online newspaper in Nigeria (The Cable) recently published that Prof Soyinka castigated the Igbo-speaking Biafrans during the talk over their use of their rights to vote a candidate of their choice.
This, Soyinka today refuted with the following words: "I have just read a statement attributed to me on something called The CABLE, a news outlet, evidently one of the Internet infestations. My lecture at the Hutchins Centre, Harvard University, was video recorded. “Anyone who believes what I am alleged to have said must be a moron – repeat, a moron. It is demeaning, sickening and boring to have to deal with these cowards who cannot fight their own battles but must fasten their imbecilic pronouncements on others. “Only the mentally retarded will credit this comment attributed to me regarding the Ndigbo voting pattern in the last elections. I strongly suspect the author of this despicable concoction, and may make a further statement, once the source is verified.” In order to rest this issue,
The Biafran is keen to obtain the true statements from the revered professor on this.
Following the letter from The Biafran, the Hutchins Center responded:
Hutchins Center <hutchinscenter@fas.harvard.edu>
Good afternoon,
We expect the recent Wole Soyinka talk to be posted via video on the Hutchins Center website within a week; however, transcripts of the talk will not be provided. Please visit the website link below:
Click on Events & Lectures, then click Webcasts.
Thank you for contacting the Hutchins Center.
Hutchins Center for African and African American Research
Harvard University
Harvard University
104 Mount Auburn Street – 3R
Cambridge, MA 02138
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