Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka on Sunday met President Bola Tinubu for the first time in about five years.
The duo met in Lagos where the president is holidaying for Christmas.
Soyinka said the visit was “embarrassing” because he told Tinubu the last time they met not to run for president.
“I came here with a seven-point agenda. And we had a very thorough discussion on those items,” said the 89-year-old.
“Actually, it’s an embarrassing visit because when I visited him the last time, it was to try and persuade him not to run for office. I told Atiku (Abubakar) and himself to please leave the ground so young people could run. That’s the last time we met about five years ago.
EFCC declared Olu Agunloye wanted when he wasn’t even on the run – Soyinka
Soyinka’s elder sister Tinuola Aina dies at 90
“So I came to see how he was doing after ignoring my advice. I came to see how both he and his wife were weathering Nigeria, and to wish them a happy Christmas.”
Soyinka added that he would reserve all his observations about the Tinubu administration until one year into his tenure.
He described this as a personal policy of his, saying this one-year delay gives the president enough time to “make up” for lost grounds.
“Well, you know, something you may have noticed about me is that most heads of state, when they take office, I always leave them alone for about the first year…because they need time.
“I know when they come in, they don’t start from ground zero. They often start even lower than ground zero and they have to make up.
“So, I’m adopting the same principle this time. When you see me next year, ask the same question again and listen to my answer,” he explained.
