Wole Soyinka: 'How are we to get rid of corruption if the electoral process is so corrupted?'

Nigeria’s foremost man of letters is scathing about the running of the country’s election, and warns of ‘a very sinister force in control’ of the incumbent president

Not for Wole Soyinka, Nigeria’s foremost man of letters, a gentle retirement or attempt to separate art from politics. The 80-year-old spent election day in Africa’s biggest democracy working the phones late into the night, gathering reports of technical glitches, irregularities and violence. There was plenty to keep him awake.

“We’re talking about a very positive response by the public in terms of determination to register and vote but, you know, this has been one of the most vicious, unprincipled, vulgar and violent election exercises I have ever witnessed,” Soyinka reflected sadly. “I just hope we won’t go down as being the incorrigible giant of Africa.”

When you are informed that 200 children are missing, you don’t go to dinner until you have got to the bottom of it

This for me is the most dangerous situation that any nation can be in

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