A Letter to a Concerned Priest

My dear Reverend Aburo,

You have reached out to me, and I am moved by your request. You want me to speak up, to say something to quiet the recent noise made by those who claim to care for the public good. To be honest, they seem like an overly excited group that has succeeded in pulling your attention away from your important ministry. I see the struggles of Nigerian and other migrants in your area. I appreciate your effort to connect with this global migrant to find common ground despite the distance between us in politics, religion, and environment.

Given the nature of some comments triggered by links shared by others who share your concerns, I must admit that a stranger might think they have stumbled upon a life-and-death situation for our nation. This loud cry of sectarian desperation seems to stem from the refusal of a veteran of dissent to feed the thrill-seeking side of humanity. This side shows up in various activities like soccer, boxing, and extreme sports. I will admit that it isn’t always negative.

The issue is, I have already spoken, so I don’t know what their problem is. Is there a special way I have yet to discover to make myself heard? Is there a new jargon created by the TikTok generation? By writing this open letter, I hope to show that I am responding to your earnest request. I repeat, I have already spoken, and it seems only I remain unheard, which is not surprising. At my age, one tends to speak more to oneself, since that is the most reliable listener in a rapidly changing world. It is expected that people in Nigeria would want to avoid falling apart with the rest of the world, hence your proactive approach towards the human factor. The human in us, however, demands reciprocity, no, not material or even vocal praises. The simplest and most challenging call is to tell the truth. The truth shall set you free? Forgive my skepticism. Still, the process itself is the message, so we need not lose hope. I have spoken, and now I speak through this letter. Consider this a preface, timed to align with the Independence celebrations. The complete work will come out in a few weeks, this is a promise, unlike the childish demands of some people.

To avoid any confusion, let me introduce myself. My background is straightforward: I do not follow orders and disregard those who try to dictate to me. I reserve the right to decide what, when, how, and where I share my ideas, ensuring they reach others. The difference between peace and conflict, for instance, calls for different reactions. Speaking out and showing off for attention are not part of my priorities.

Now, dear Reverend, before you get annoyed with me for stating the obvious, remember that this is why I chose to write this open letter and pulled you in as a partner. Like other societies, ours has both geniuses and fools, thoughtful seekers and empty barrels, truth tellers and liars. Your request comes as we approach the nation’s birthday celebrations.

Uncharacteristically, I will join those wishing the nation well, I even have a birthday gift! It has been with me for a while, but thanks to you, I am moved to unwrap it now. For the sake of the nation, and considering the religious ministry’s role, I urge you to spend some time addressing a specific spiritual disorder that troubles our people more than in any other country I know. This is a moral failure that threatens to turn our nation into a Republic of Liars!

Now, let’s move to acknowledgments, which are often personal, sometimes institutional, and often humble. Our main source of inspiration for this long letter comes from a memoir that serves as a springboard for a long-overdue task, whose timing is perfect. The work aims to be a reflection, a confession by a reformed “lost sheep” seeking redemption for a notorious past. I must declare my interest, let us clear that out of the way for objectivity’s sake:

"Yet he (Wole Soyinka) vowed not to critique Tinubu until after a year in office. The year has passed, and still, Nothing…."

Nothing? Repeated over and over with various tones!

Nothing! But maybe this is an identity clone from Artificial Intelligence. The contradicting ‘Nothing’ is on record, widely reported, yet our so-called “redeemed” voice of the people is packaged between impressive covers, decorated with self-serving photos that distract from the truth conveyed through ink, paper, and online. What are we to make of this? An endorsement letter and certificate of good governance between old friends?

Misplaced Priorities: As reported by Vanguard, Soyinka quipped sarcastically that the president could have simply sent his son’s security detail instead of using military resources to handle regional issues like the Benin Republic uprising.

In this environment of high hopes, promises, and disappointments, I must be clear, I owe no one. Not in front of any ethical tribunal or legal system. Elections seem to make even the most careful critics forget their morals. They abandon all checks and balances for the thrill of lying their way into power. (Is there enough space to hold them all?) We will look at more of this filth later as a taste of what’s to come. It is never too late to reflect and be seen as careless, not morally bankrupt. So, let’s touch on one or two more issues before this preface ends. Once identified, they will serve as pointers, helping us assess claims to repentance, social change, and responsibility.

Two issues will be highlighted through the next excerpts. We need to pay special attention to the second one, as it goes beyond individual lies to show how they threaten the nation’s survival. Those who spread self-serving distortions and falsehoods are conscious agents of division, they deny the civil unity needed for democracy. They exist in denial of the debt owed to society since their mission promotes violence. They are selfish individuals, and we can only hope they face justice when it comes around. Do I sound extreme, dear Aburo?

If I do, please allow me some leeway. I am simply following the belief in just deserts, which I recall from religious practices during penance seasons like Lent. I still remember the call-and-response service of open condemnation led by the priest. The powerful voices seemed to come directly from God during that service, voices that seemed to imprison the souls of those who spread division. I urge you to place such wicked instigators at the top of your agenda whenever that ritual comes around. Please judge for yourself, here comes the second issue, the evil influence of dishonest minds:

"In December he declared that Peter Obi was unfit to lead the country and recently insisted that Obi must not run in 2007."

The lie is in the second part, highlighted. Please ask this author about the time, place, and context of this anti-democratic statement. I am willing to explain why voters should choose one candidate over another, but the first part is opinion, and I won’t debate, change, or clarify it. It is a simple exercise of a basic human right, and I dare anyone to think about denying it.

Public lies, like flies, attract more trouble, so no one should be surprised when a nasty mess occurs during a casual stroll. Among those who blindly follow, consider this volunteer who forgot the fate of the foolish fly that followed a coffin to the grave:

Soyinka was reported to have said, "Peter Obi should not be allowed to contest."

“Reported,” of course, is the coward’s way out for fakers! Not be allowed? And who is supposed to stop him? How low are we expected to stoop to continue? What is the uplifting next step? How gullible must society be to not be insulted by such a blatant, insolent tale? Is there a person of self-worth who feels untouched by such moral decay and political corruption? What is really at stake? To achieve what end? Maybe we should just ask: is this infection still manageable?

My dear Reverend, I assure you I wouldn’t dream of giving you an impossible mission. Despite my doubts about spiritual attacks, I see a valid case for some exorcism, of the devil haunting many “netters,” trapped in a kind of Nigerian St. Vitus Dance. Luckily, you can get help from Father Mathew Kukah, who, in his introduction to a photo-album, cautions:

"The author (not his real name!) makes some claims that are at variance with the truth."

A priestly euphemism, but a well-deserved warning for a skeptical approach to whatever comes from a self-proclaimed moral reformer. Is it not enough humiliation to accept that they merit any attention beyond a simple greeting?

Enough! We will stop here before this Birthday message gets too detailed, dedicated to this year’s Independence Day. It would have been a great addition to the celebrations if I could deliver it on the symbolic date. However, as you acknowledged, I tend to overcommit, which affects my ability to make sense. You will receive an advance copy, but our diligent timekeepers will have to wait their turn.

Underneath it all, as I mentioned in our private talks, I admit my worry about reaching a point where, due to a growing disdain for a loud minority of empty talkers, what amounts to a Silence Sabbatical becomes a need for survival for creative minds. I experiment, judge my findings, and exercise my right to choose. Just an example, though I apologize for my personal claim, you cannot call a Silence truly “silent” when it has returned VOICE, yes, capital letters, to, and brought JUSTICE closer for, a large part of society. I refer to the revival of the Ombudsman avenue of citizen complaints, also called the Public Complaints Commission, already active in all thirty-six states. I value such “silences” above all, not as a replacement for, but as a complement to serious discussions, not mere loud, uninformed chatter. In any case, this aligns with my creative energy at this stage more than praising a president or condemning real or imagined failures for thrill-seeking talkers. No matter, Reverend, I have implicitly accepted your request, so, Peace?

It won’t be long before we release the full LIARS edition, plus, depending on various factors, the planned Open House event upon its release. But I remember the wise saying that the devil always finds work for idle hands. So how do over two hundred million people pass the time in the meantime? We all know that even the rain stops falling when WS has not been heard, or is “alleged” to have been making discordant sounds to counter the people’s noise. The difference is, I am tired of my own voice, no matter who is in charge, not forgetting Einstein's voice mocking us: only a madman does the same thing the same way and expects a different result!

Well, at least one can try to frustrate the devil by finding work for the unemployed. So, I return once again to your unexpected call for patience. The unusual birthday gift consists of the Statement for the Defense by a fellow clergy member who acted on his conscience, defying oppressive laws now ruining Democratic norms in the U.S. When Donald Trump’s ICE trucks invaded his area to terrorize, kidnap, and deport, he lay down in front of a truck, refusing to move. Another time, he held a placard to block their path. He is currently facing his second round of court hearings. No one preaches the same form of resistance, but I recall enough of my Bible lessons that seem directed at this community of liars:

"Go and do likewise."

So now, my dear priest, I have spoken, or at least shared some thoughts as a prelude, and I hope, in good conscience. We should be able to announce a date for the delivery of the full Birthday Package, tentatively titled The Liars’ Progress, after John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, by no later than Independence Day. Nothing too taxing for the average mind, no attempts to claim new discoveries about Silence, remedial and creative. Our aim is simply to remind us of its historical importance as both a tool and a shield, a motivator and a recourse. The full work will recognize the individual fabricators on their own terms, now that the truth is finally coming to light, names attached, notoriety stamped with impunity. We often overlook the defiant voices of our time, our brave homegrown Davids in a world of Goliaths who, surrounded on all sides, lash out with the memorable words:

"Silence is the best answer for fools."

What a pity. He should have added… and LIARS!

Happy Independence Day.

Wole Soyinka writes from the Autonomous Republic of Ijegba, A.R.I.