Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has hailed the hunting prowess of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka but condemned his political judgement.
Obasanjo who was the guest speaker at the 7th Osun Interactive Session hosted by the Staff Club of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, last Friday, when asked by a Literature teacher in the Department of English why he and Soyinka frequently antagonize each other said: “I don’t understand what you mean by that. But I will tell you what I do know. If any man is gifted, Wole Soyinka is gifted. That is number one.
“Number two, Wole Soyinka is a [inaudible]. Number three, Wole Soyinka is a citizen of the world. But I have nothing against Wole Soyinka more than what I have written in my book (My Watch), that Soyinka as a political analyst, is always missing the mark. I have said that and jocularly, I will trust Soyinka as an aparo hunter (partridge hunter), more than I will trust his comment or analysis on political developments in the country.
“And I still stand by that. You may disagree with me; Wole himself may disagree with me. I am entitled to my opinion and that’s my opinion.”
