Independence: Soyinka fires back at critics, says Nigeria must confront ‘culture of lies’

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has broken his silence over mounting criticism of his perceived reluctance to comment on national issues, declaring that he will not be pressured into speaking on demand and warning that Nigeria is battling a dangerous culture of falsehood.

Soyinka, in an open letter addressed to a Catholic priest and released ahead of Nigeria’s Independence Day on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, said his critics had deliberately ignored his previous public interventions while promoting what he described as fabricated narratives about his position on national affairs.

The renowned author said he remained committed to speaking the truth but insisted that the timing, manner and platform for expressing his views would always be his personal decision.

“I owe no one. I reserve for myself the fundamental right of judgement in choosing what, when, how and where I disseminate my ideas,” Soyinka stated.

The Nobel Prize winner disclosed that he was preparing a detailed publication to coincide with Independence Day celebrations, promising a comprehensive response to what he described as persistent misinformation in the country’s political discourse.

Soyinka revealed that the forthcoming work, tentatively titled “The Liars’ Progress,” would examine the growing spread of deliberate falsehoods and distortions in Nigeria’s public space.

Soyinka said Nigeria faces a moral crisis fuelled by individuals who knowingly circulate lies for political and personal gain.

“I urge you to devote some special time to a spiritual disorder that threatens to turn the nation into a Republic of Liars,” he noted.

The playwright also dismissed allegations that he had failed to keep his promise to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration after one year in office.

He stressed that his comments on the government had been publicly reported and accused critics of pretending they did not exist.

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Soyinka equally denied claims that he had called for Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi to be barred from contesting elections, describing the allegation as completely false.

“The lie is in the claim that I insisted Peter Obi must not run. Such a statement was never made by me,” Soyinka stated.

He warned that misinformation and character assassination were eroding public trust and undermining democratic values, stressing that truth must remain the foundation of national discourse.

Soyinka, therefore, wished Nigerians a happy Independence Day and assured the public that his full publication would be released in the coming weeks.