Tension as herdsmen allegedly attack Soyinka’s country home

…It is fake news, says son

…It was a case of strayed cow, say police

By Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta

There was palpable tension across parts of the country, especially the South West, as news filtered out in the early hours of yesterday that the country home of Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, in the Abeokuta area of Ogun State was allegedly attacked by criminal herdsmen.

The news which emanated from Koiki Media, an online news source, further claimed that the attack caused serious scare, making the professor to call in the police.

Koiki Media had written that, “Prof Wole Soyinka’s house was attacked last night by Fulani hoodlums and miscreants to assassinate him because of his numerous truth to power and particularly, because of his recent News Interview where he spoke truth to the Presidency, especially advising Buhari to come out openly and denounce the Fulani herdsmen acts of violence in the Southern parts of Nigeria.”

However, the literary icons son, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, a former Commissioner of Health in Ogun State, yesterday said there was no attack on his father or his property.

Describing the story as fake news, the younger Soyinka said: “this is not true, please do not circulate further and help to debunk it.

“It is an attempt to encourage discord. Although some cows were spotted, neither Prof or his house was attacked by anyone.

“I have confirmed this today (Wednesday 10th) directly myself from him.

“Kindly do not fall for this attempt, whatever the motive, to further inflame this problematic situation.”

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Before the younger Soyinka debunked the story of the alleged attack, there was a press statement jointly signed by representatives of the South West, South South, South East and Middle Belt condemning the alleged attack.

In the statement signed by Yinka Odumakin, South West, Chief Guy Ikokwu, South East, Senator Bassey Henshaw, South South and Dr Isuwa Dogo, Middle Belt, they warned of the negative implications of such acts.

According to them in the statement, “Hours after Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka warned this country that the activities of Fulani herdsmen could lead to a civil war and urged President Buhari to denounce them clearly to show he is President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, the herdsmen stormed the elderstateman’s residence in Abeokuta around 1 pm on Tuesday and caused serious scare before the Professor called in the police.

“It is a painful development that herders will not even give a scant regard to a man of Soyinka stature in their madness let loose on Nigeria with no authority to call them to order.

“If there are people still living in denial about the intention of these criminals and those shielding them, there is no further evidence than this.

“We do not know what they have that they are playing this roulette, but we are sure when a blind man says we have to settle this stoning ourselves, it is either he is stepping on or clutching one.

“We also want to warn them of the implications of hurting a man like Soyinka with the fragile unity of the country.

“Let President Buhari know that these criminals are working hard to make him the last President of One Nigeria.”