Prof Soyinka and Gani Fawehinmi are two of my favorite Nigerian Icons.
For decades now they have stood against social injustice, criminal governance and blah blah blah (causes too numerous to mention).
I have found that if anything happens that I don't like, instead of rioting I can rest assured that our displeasure will be more eloquently expressed by one or both of these two gentlemen. They have fought for us - the Nigerian people.
The fight has not been without personal cost however.
Chief Fawehinmi has been passed over so many times for the coveted Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title that you would think someone somewhere had sworn a blood oath that he would never get it. And Prof Soyinka had previously made it known that the day you see him take a national award is the day a black man rules the world (or something to that effect I think).
Wait a minute, a blackman is ruling the... oh never mind.
So I'm chilling in my house yesterday when the news filters through that Gani was awarded a national order... again. And expectedly, Gani rejected it... again.
Similarly, it is well known that on several occasions Prof Soyinka has rejected various attempts by gvernment to bestow awards on him. Preferring instead the esteem of his peers, the public and his self.
So it was with amazement that I watched his son receive an award on his behalf. I began to wonder if Soyinka perhaps was actually impressed with the personal integrity of Yar'Adua. I began to think maybe Yar'Adua was not such a bad fellow after all.
Then the other shoe dropped. He accepted the award plaque but donated the award to the Supreme Court in the hope that it would restore the good sense that was missing in their recent ruling that ratified the 2007 elections.
I doubled up over laughing. Yes O! I knew Prof no fit fall my hand.
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