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| Hutchins Center Harvard University responds to The Biafran over Soyinka's lecture brouhaha |
The Biafran had requested for the video of the talk by Soyinka to ascertain the truth of the matter.
Soyinka on 28th April delivered a talk at The Hutchins Center for African and African American Research titled "Predicting Nigeria? Electoral Ironies". The talk which took place at the Thompson Room, Barker Center, of the Hutchins Center raised enormous dust in Nigeria when an online news media The Cable reported that Soyinka described Igbo-Seaking Biafrans as greedy who voted for their stomachs. According to The Cable Soyinka stated that “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. Addding that “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."
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However in a swift reaction, Soyinka refuted the claims by The Cable. It denied the comments attributed to him by the newspaper: “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 verify this claim one the reporters of The Biafran, contacted The Hutchins Center, demanding the video recording of the talk:
The Biafran Letter:
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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what is the update, as I have been to the website, which does not have any transcript
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