Wole Soyinka Calls Emefiele A Sadist, Says CBN Governor Committed Crime Against Humanity

Wole Soyinka Calls Emefiele A Sadist, Says CBN Governor Committed Crime Against Humanity

Renowned Nigerian Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, has faulted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, and President Muhammadu Buhari over the introduction of new banknotes in December 2021. Soyinka made the statement during an appearance on the Channels Television’s Roadmap 2023 program. He blamed the two men for the hardship experienced by Nigerians during the policy implementation, which led to the withdrawal of the old banknotes and the introduction of new ones. The policy was aimed at reducing counterfeiting and inflation but resulted in chaos across banks and ATMs terminals, leading to protests in different parts of the country.

According to Soyinka, the CBN governor and President Buhari are responsible for the challenges faced by Nigerians during the implementation of the policy. He further disclosed how he faced difficulties in accessing cash during the cash crunch, where he could only get cash from a banker. The new banknote policy caused a lot of inconvenience to Nigerians as they encountered challenges doing business and making cash payments in their daily transactions.

The policy was eventually reversed in March after a Supreme Court ruling directed commercial banks to dispense and receive the old N200, N500, and N1000 banknotes. The CBN’s move to introduce new banknotes was criticized by many Nigerians, including business owners and civil society groups, who argued that it would create confusion and negatively affect the economy.

Here is an excerpt from the interview.

“Emefiele has committed a crime against humanity, over and beyond even any electoral mago mago (foul play),” Mr Soyinka said.

“He struck at the heart of the subsisting survival principles, minimal needs and entitlements of the ordinary people in the street.

“Don’t bully me. Don’t take my voice away. Don’t take my economic potential away, my economical entitlements. Don’t throw me on the mercy of sadists like Emefiele.”

“You can’t buy a newspaper. You can’t buy guguru (popcorn) and epa (grounduts), which means that you cannot pay for the plantain; which means that the farmer cannot even pay for transportation of the goods from his farm to the [markets]”.

Soyinka’s criticism of the CBN governor and President Buhari’s role in the policy implementation underscores the need for policymakers to take into consideration the concerns of citizens when introducing policies that have far-reaching implications on the economy and the public. The Nigerian government must ensure that policies are implemented with the interest of citizens in mind, and that they do not cause unnecessary hardship or harm to the people.

The criticism of the CBN governor and the President by a respected Nigerian scholar and Nobel laureate like Wole Soyinka is an indication that the Nigerian government must do more to ensure that policies are implemented effectively and do not cause hardship to its citizens.

It is imperative that policymakers take into consideration the economic and social implications of their policies and involve the public in the decision-making process.

This way, the government can be sure that its policies align with the interest of the people and are sustainable in the long run.