- Prof. Wole Soyinka has urged President Tinubu to probe the deaths of Dele Giwa, Bola Ige, and Kudirat Abiola.
- He said justice would give true meaning to June 12 and pledged to honour Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti.
- Soyinka also called Babangida’s memoir incomplete and demanded a full account of the 1993 election annulment.
Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has urged President Bola Tinubu to launch a thorough investigation into the unresolved and suspicious deaths of key individuals linked to the June 12 pro-democracy movement.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Soyinka, who mentioned Dele Giwa, Bola Ige, and Kudirat Abiola among those who lost their lives, made the call on Saturday during a reflective fireside discussion with a select group of journalists at Freedom Park, Lagos.
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The event, themed “June 12: Romancing the Embers,” was held in commemoration of the annulled 1993 presidential election—a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic history, now observed as a national holiday.
According to Soyinka, President Tinubu should open a formal probe into the “strange circumstances” surrounding the deaths of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for democracy, to offer some closure.
While acknowledging the importance of June 12, Soyinka emphasized that its legacy must be preserved through more than just annual observances and speeches.
He stressed that achieving justice for those who perished in the pro-democracy struggle would give the day a more profound significance.
Soyinka also revealed that any honour or award given to him on June 12 would be dedicated to the late Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, whom he described as “not just a defender of human rights, a champion of good governance, and a tireless campaigner for democracy, but an intelligent, resourceful, and fearless individual willing to take dare-devil risks in pursuit of justice.”
Addressing the recently published memoir of former military president Ibrahim Babangida titled A Journey in Service, Soyinka dismissed the book as incomplete, noting that Nigerians deserve the full story from the retired general, especially as it relates to the annulled election. The book, a 405-page publication by Bookcraft Africa, was released in February 2025.
Soyinka said Babangida needs to produce a follow-up, insisting the story remains unfinished.
While referencing The Tale of June 12: The Betrayal of the Democratic Rights of Nigerians written by Babangida’s long-time ally, Professor Omoruyi, the Nobel Laureate said, “I called him (Babangida), and I said that your memoir is not finished. And I said, isn’t it about time that we name names in this matter? Babangida’s book should be read side by side with Professor Omo Omoruyi’s. Omoruyi was there.”
He added, “I told him, you haven’t finished your book. You have to write another one. That’s my position.”
Soyinka further described Babangida as “a general without an army.”
He continued, “We know of a certain move which he made. We know those who visited him at the time, those who added their weight to the annulment, both within the military and the civil. We know the royal fathers who went to visit and said on no account will they accept the implementation of that election.
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“We know all of that. It’s not me who should write it. It’s he. He owes it to the nation.”
