Peter Obi visits Soyinka over clash with ‘Obidients’

Peter Obi and Wole Soyinka

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Sunday paid a visit to Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka.

In April, Soyinka clashed with Obi’s supporters known as Obidients when he criticised the Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate at the 2023 poll, Datti Baba-Ahmed, for saying President-elect Bola Tinubu should not be sworn in.

According to Soyinka, Baba-Ahmed’s comments were fascist.

Tweeting about the visit, Obi said he had an enriching discussion with the professor.

Obi said, “Today I visited one of Nigeria’s most revered figures and an international literary icon Prof Wole Soyinka. Prof Soyinka has been my father whom I hold in very esteem for what he has achieved and stands for in the struggle for a better Nigeria. His reputation as a fighter for justice and equity in our society has been legendary and we will NEVER ignore them.

“I had a very useful and enriching discussion about his aspirations for a better and greater Nigeria, and he shared a lot with me about his dream for a greater, and more inclusive Nigeria.”

The ex-governor of Anambra State said he reminded the renowned playwright and poet of the huge price he paid just before the outbreak of civil war, fighting for the cause of the Igbo.

“I cherish this Sunday visit which was intended to erase the needless misconceptions about the relationship between the great icon and the obidient family,” he added.