‘Nothing To Forgive:’ Soyinka Speaks About Relationship With Gowon

‘Nothing To Forgive:’ Soyinka Speaks About Relationship With Gowon
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has commented on his relationship with former Head of State Yakubu Gowon.

Soyinka was in August 1967 arrested and placed in solitary confinement just as the Civil War started under Gowon’s regime.

Speaking about their relationship, Soyinka explained that there is no bad blood between him and Gowon and he does not think there is anything to forgive him (Gowon) about.

“We communicate whenever possible, he came for my birthday in Abeokuta here. And when he started to apologise – he made a public apology – I said, ‘There is no need for it,’” the playwright who was detained by the Gowon government for two years, in the wake of the Nigerian Civil War, told Channels Television.

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Soyinka also revealed that General Gowon had on various occasions made efforts to meet him so they could talk.

He added; “He even asked the former ambassador to locate me so that anytime he was passing – I was in Europe and America then – so we could meet and talk. And I said, ‘any time’ but there is really nothing much to talk about.”

The playwright further disclosed that they later met at a conference and they talked about the Nigerian Civil War.

He said; “We hit it on very well and we joked. The ice was broken and since then, we have been friends.”

“The war, for me, is over.’ The ones I find difficult to forgive are those who lied against me. I don’t like liars; I just cannot stand liars.”

The former Head of State has been in the news in recent days over allegations that he embezzled half of the money in the Central Bank of Nigeria during his regime.