The 92-year-old Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Niger Delta youths to abandon violence and embrace dialogue as a means of achieving regional development. Speaking at the Annual Wole Soyinka Lecture in Port Harcourt, he challenged them to adopt what he termed "intellectual militancy" — a shift from the force of weapons to the power of ideas, knowledge, and constructive engagement.
Event Highlights: A Gathering of Intellectuals and Activists
The lecture, organized by the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as the Pyrates Confraternity, took place amidst heightened security. Road safety personnel and armed policemen were deployed along Woji Road to manage traffic and ensure orderliness as the city anticipated the arrival of the literary icon.
The venue was transformed into a carnival-like atmosphere, with jazzy tunes from urbane music equipment, symmetrically arranged seats, and artistic wall decorations. A massive poster at the entrance, featuring a life-size portrait of Soyinka, announced the event, also highlighting Chief Ndutimi Alaibe as chairman and Chief Osita Chidoka, former Aviation Minister, as guest speaker.
Chief Alaibe's Tribute: Honoring a Legacy of Courage
Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), paid glowing tributes to Soyinka, describing him as a man who consistently chose the harder path of conscience, courage, and truth. Alaibe declared, "Today, we honour you not merely with words, but with our presence and our shared commitment to engage the very questions your life has posed to our nation for more than six decades — questions of justice, accountability, freedom, and the moral courage required to build a truly democratic society."
Alaibe also commemorated the NAS martyrs — members arrested on 17 February 1997, imprisoned and tortured for 72 days by the military under General Sani Abacha's regime. He noted that their arrest was "for refusing to be silent in the face of oppression," and described them as "enduring symbols of resilience and civil courage."
Remembering Democracy's Martyrs
Alaibe recalled other democracy martyrs, including Dele Giwa, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine, Kudirat Abiola, Chief Alfred Rewane, and Chief Bola Ige, whose assassinations remain unresolved. He emphasized that their sacrifices were not in vain, urging attendees to recommit to building a Nigeria founded on justice, accountability, and constitutional governance.
He stated, "Their stories remind us that civil courage is not an abstract ideal. It is rather the willingness to stand for what is right, even when the consequences are severe and deadly."
Soyinka's Personal Touch: A Night in a Remote Community
Alaibe shared personal anecdotes of his four-decade relationship with Soyinka, including a 2006 visit to the Niger Delta under the Commission of Nobel Laureates, where Soyinka commended the NDDC's efforts. In 2008, Soyinka visited Alaibe's village of Igbainwari in Bayelsa State to inaugurate the Wole Soyinka Library, an initiative of Alaibe's late wife, Alaere. Soyinka spent the night in their modest home, even trying the local brew, demonstrating humility and respect for the community.
Recalling Soyinka's words about Alaere, Alaibe quoted him saying, "I am not often impressed with people, but she has succeeded in impressing me with her drive, her vision and her total commitment."
Addressing Militancy: A Call for Intellectual Engagement
During that visit, Soyinka addressed Niger Delta youths, urging them to choose dialogue over violence. His counsel, as Alaibe recounted, was a call to embrace "intellectual militancy in pursuit of the region's development — a powerful call to exchange the force of weapons for the power of ideas, knowledge, and constructive engagement."
Alaibe stressed that Soyinka's actions exemplified principled leadership, noting that "the true measure of leadership is not the distance one travels, but the willingness to stand with people wherever they are."
Reclaiming the Nigerian State: The Core Theme
The lecture's theme, "Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civil Courage," resonated throughout the event. Alaibe argued that Nigeria's challenge is not a lack of diagnosis but a failure to act consistently on known solutions. He criticized tribalism, which he described as a systemic condition "coursing through Nigeria's national bloodstream," and called for reclaiming the state by upholding principles without fear or favour.
He asserted, "Accountability is sustained not by laws alone but by the courage of men and women who insist that those laws apply equally to the powerful and the powerless." He concluded that nations are reclaimed "when conscience triumphs over convenience, when institutions are stronger than individuals, and when citizens summon the courage to do what is right, even when it is difficult."
