Obi visits Soyinka to dispel unnecessary misconceptions

On a Sunday, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), paid a visit to

Professor Wole Soyinka, a Nobel laureate and respected figure in Nigeria. Obi shared on his official Twitter handle that the visit was enriching and that he had a useful discussion with the literary icon. Obi acknowledged the immense reputation of Soyinka as a fighter for justice and equity in Nigerian society and promised to never ignore it.

During their conversation, Soyinka shared his aspirations for a better and more inclusive Nigeria with Obi. He also reminded the LP candidate of the huge price he paid fighting for the cause of the Igbos just before the outbreak of the civil war. Obi expressed that he cherished the visit, which was intended to erase misconceptions about the relationship between the great icon and his obedient family.

The visit came days after Soyinka received criticism from supporters of the LP, who call themselves "Obidients". Soyinka had previously criticized the LP's vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, for using "fascistic language" in his remarks. Baba-Ahmed had claimed that the country had no president-elect despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcing Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election. According to Baba-Ahmed, Tinubu would be leading an unconstitutional government if he were sworn into office because he had not met the requirements of the law.

Soyinka had also stated that Obidients wear their refusal to accept constructive criticism as a badge of honor, which led to criticism from supporters of the LP. However, Obi's visit to Soyinka aimed to improve the relationship between the two and demonstrate that constructive dialogue is essential to building a better Nigeria.

Overall, Obi's visit to Soyinka was an opportunity for the presidential candidate to learn from the Nobel laureate and gain insight into his aspirations for Nigeria's future. It also aimed to improve the relationship between Soyinka and the LP and demonstrate the importance of constructive dialogue in Nigerian politics.