‘Get a psychiatrist to examine me if I ever join Obasanjo’s movement’ – Wole Soyinka

Nobel laureate, professor Wole Soyinka says he should be examined by a psychiatrist if he ever joins the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) led by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Yoruba, Soyinka said the Obasanjo led coalition is not meant for someone like him. “Me? Obasanjo would establish a group and I will become a member of such group? That means they should get a psychiatrist to examine me,” Soyinka said.

He also spoke about the letters which Obasanjo and former military President Ibrahim Babangida addressed to Buhari saying people should get suspicious “when these soldiers speak” because there is the possibility that “what they have in mind is different from what we have in mind”.

“When these soldiers begin to speak, we are supposed to get suspicious and ask what exactly do they have in mind? It is possible that what they have in mind is different from what we have in mind. You can look at it from two perspectives, the messenger and the message. The message should be examined closely. We should not look at the misdeeds of the messenger alone. Let’s start by asking, is he saying the truth or telling lies, or is he being tricky? If he is saying the truth and talking about things that are beneficial to the masses, we would allow that be. After that, we would now look at the person speaking, what is in his mind?’ he said.