Double standards: Why honour Abiola and praise Abacha?, Soyinka asks Buhari

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Posted by Tony Okechukwu

Octogenarian Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, has slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for his display of double standards in commendation of late military dictator, Sani Abacha while eulogizing Bashorun MKO Abiola.
Soyinka pointed out that Buhari cannot praise Abacha in one breath, then honour Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential polls, in another.
The president in a recent comment said no matter what anyone thought of Abacha, he (Abacha) ran one of the most effective governments in Nigeria’s history.
On the same occasion he lambasted ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo for reportedly mismanaging billions of funds deployed into the power sector while he held sway.
President Buhari on Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, fulfilled his promise and conferred MKO Abiola with the nation’s highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, (GCFR) – an honour exclusively conferred only on presidents and former presidents.
While Mr Abiola was given a posthumous award GCFR, his then running mate, Babagana Kingibe, was awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Speaking at the event, Soyinka asked Buhari to stop “creating confusion” in the minds of Nigerians.
“It is not possible to honour MKO Abiola in one breath and then admire his tormentor in another breath,” he said.
“Loyalty is all very well but loyalty can become perverse if that loyalty is retained to an individual who if he were alive today would be before the International Court of Crimes against humanity. The one who broke the laws of Nigeria, International laws, pauperized this nation, it is confusing if professional loyalty is carried so far as to be accorded such an individual.
“We had a private conversation some time ago and l remember one of the things which l mentioned to you was this …l said you are fighting corruption.. how cometh that a notorious dictator, corrupt ruler, is honored by one of the most important avenues in the capital of Abuja, whereas, individuals like the martyrs of the struggle, philanthropists have not been honored. The answer you gave to me was not too satisfactory.”
He called for a hall-of-shame for past Nigerian leaders who were infamous for their brutality”to sound as a warning note to would-be bad leaders”. Source: corruption reporter

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