Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has accused former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel and a publisher; Chief Abiola Ogundokun, of being “public liars.”
The allegations are contained in pages 81 and 82 of his latest book, InterInventions, which was formally presented to the public at the weekend in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state.
He revealed that Daniel lied to him about his relationship with the publisher of the Conscience Magazine, Chief Abiola Ogundokun.
He stated further that the ex – governor also lied about his(Daniel) own side of the account of the alleged threat by him( Daniel) to dethrone the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, over perceived offensive comments by the monarch.
On Ogundokun whom he described as “two – legged parasite” and an alleged “fugitive from the United States,” Soyinka claimed the publisher dedicated the maiden edition of his magazine, Conscience International, to the subject ” WS” in bids to disseminate desperate lie.
Recalling one of his encounters with Daniel, Soyinka stated: “Like calls to like. Gbenga Daniel’s reputation as a public liar was affirmed to me in his own testimony right in my sitting room in Abeokuta. He had called – with his press crew, ambulance, security detail, party chairman and entire cabinet in tow – to explain his side of a conflict that brought Abeokuta close to conflagration as he lashed out against the Egba King, the Alake, and threatened to dethrone him.
“This governor lied, and lied, and lied! He lied over what the Alake had said – Daniel was not to know that I had obtained a full transcript of the ‘offensive’ statement attributed to the Alake monarch, so it was a great fun to watch him lie his head off.
“Even when he picked up his mobile phone to ask some disembodied voice for the corroboration of some irrelevant performance statistics, he still lied over the answer he transmitted back to me.
“I asked this governor why on earth he kept company with a verminous character like (Abiola) Ogundokun – and he lied that Ogundokun was no where close to his environment.
“Ogundokun had offered his services, he conceded, but he had sent him off to his colleague in Oyo state, who then sent him back saying that he could find no use for him. After which, Daniel stated, he lost complete track of him! Or was it the other way round?
“No matter, he assured me that Ogundokun had not served him in any capacity, invoking mortal and immortal witnesses. Gbenga Daniel lied again. (Again, the reader is invited to read the Ogundokun pages in the narrative by the insider, Wale Adedayo).
“Daniel’s recent invocation of my son who was made Commissioner of Health under the administration of his successor is of course typical of the despicable antics of practised blackmailers.
“The children of critics are not supposed to have careers of their own, on their own merit, but such must be attributed to quid pro quo returns for the political stances of their parents.
“That another child, a daughter, worked for the undisputed champion of this lying contest right through his ignoble tenure, is of course totally irrelevant. Such cheap, unoriginal diversionary tactics!
“The real issue – abuse of power amounting to treasonable conduct, with the complicity of presidential might, remains unanswered. The criminal courts however must be answered, and there we shall leave Gbenga Daniel to attend to his charges of corruption.
“Why did Gbenga Daniel lie over Ogundokun? One answer could be – Guilt, over the ‘Special Duties’ to which Chief Ogundokun was assigned? A need to disown a potential embarrassment in the best tradition of ‘ Use and Dump’?”
“…It is a notorious fact that Daniel deployed Ogundokun on several errands, many of which will not bear scrutiny.
Ogundokun has always made himself available for hire to the most noxious of Nigerian rulers, both at the central and state levels, most notably the infamous rogue and murderer – General Sani Abacha.
” Sponsored by that regime specially to vilify and discredit the opposition, Ogundokun launched his glossy journal Conscience International, avidly promoted by his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thomas Ikimi, its maiden edition dedicated mostly to the subject of WS.
“This was openly displayed for sale in magazine booths in London, during the struggle. Ogundokun continued his career of smut disseminator even after the death of that monster – indeed defiantly intensified his activities all through the hearing of the Truth and Reconciliation Panel which sat in Abuja, chaired by Justice Oputa.
“Sued to court for defamation, Ogundokun’s lawyers deployed all technical delays to avoid judgement day, even profiting from election tribunals that saw the transfer of judges to hearings in other states.
“Ogundokun’s libel case is still listed, to commence de novo – even as this is being written. Perhaps it will finally re – commence after my funeral.”
Other top Nigerians also mentioned in Soyinka’s InterInventions which is also sub – titled, ‘A Personal Odyssey in The Republic of Liars,’ include, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Military Head of States, General Yakubu Gowon, one author; Chinweizu, former Foreign Affairs Minister during General Sani Abacha’s regime and Chief Thomas Ikimi
The public lies of Daniel, Ogundokun, others – Soyinka
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