Professor Wole Soyinka’s close associate, Dr. Olu Agunloye, has debunked media report the Nobel Laureate was attached by herdsman.
Agunloye a former Nigerian minister of defence, released a statement on Wednesday, stating that the trending story that Soyinka was not attacked and that the trending story about his attack by herdsmen was false.
He however said that the herdsmen trespassed into Professor Soyinka’s unfenced compound despite repeated warnings against that in the past.
Agunloye also disclosed that the trespassing herdsmen had been arrested after Soyinka reported the matter to the police.
The statement reads:
*Herdsmen did not attack Prof Soyinka*
The trending story that herdsmen went to attack Prof Wole Soyinka in his house in Abeokuta is not true. Herdsmen did not break into his house. There were no attacks and no attempts to attack the Nobel Laureate.
What happened was that herdsmen led their cattle to graze in Prof Soyinka’s unfenced compound again yesterday despite his strong warnings to the herdsmen.
Prof Soyinka has been living in the forest at the outskirt of Abeokuta in Area designated as GRA since late 1980s. However, in recent times cattle herders have desecrated the grounds of Professor Soyinka’s compound by flooding it with cows. The Professor summoned the herdsmen and sternly warned them to stop the ugly practice. He told them in very clear terms that it was unacceptable.
However, the herdsmen broke the rules yesterday thinking that Prof Soyinka was not home. When the Prof accosted them, they fled into the bush leaving their cows behind. Prof Soyinka reported the incident to the Police which later arrested the herdsmen and their cows.
We can say categorically that Prof. Soyinka and his house were not physically attacked but his compound was violated by recalcitrant herdsmen who wanted to turn his compound to a grazing field. Prof Soyinka and his family remain okay in their Abeokuta home.
Dr Olu Agunloye
10 February 2021
