Soyinka seeks trial of hate preachers

Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka yesterday advocated the prosecution of hate preachers to stem religious violence.

Soyinka noted that religious violence would be encouraged if those who instigate killings in the name of blasphemy are allowed to walk freely without being made to face trial.

He spoke at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) while delivering a lecture titled: “Culture At Risk.”

Soyinka noted that prosecution of advocates of religious violence would deter others nursing the idea of inciting more violence.

He said the bombings and killings of innocent citizens across the country was a result of what they had been made to believe from the religious perspective.

Describing religion as the greatest threat to culture, Soyinka described the destruction of mosques, churches, shrines and ancient monuments as a product of religious intolerance.

He said Nigerians must learn to tolerate one another irrespective of cultural and religious difference.

“When you have people like that who I know that have instigated the killing of others walking freely on the street, without being made to pay restitution for incitement to murder under the banner of cultural relativism, it encourages others to continue in the act.

“My view is that, we can complain, we can proffer, we can condemn, as much as we want, until those who are guilty, even by curious liability when a murder is committed are brought to book and made to apologise to the whole nation,  and face penalty, such will not stop.

“In my view, it is that toxin injected into the social consciousness of the followers of that religion, which has resulted in the murder of its citizens. Is there something called vicarious guilt or not? The question I ask is: Was that deputy governor ever brought to trial? Was his boss, Ahmed Yerima?

“Should we be surprised and start shouting aloud and condemning some stupid young fellows who took the law into their own hands and killed, burnt eight people alive, who were not even part of the original scenario.

“I call them stupid and a disgrace to their school, Abdul Gusau Polytechnic. I say they are stupid and a disgrace to learning anywhere because even a child who leaves in a community must understand  that, if you want to create a serious fight between two people, just say that, ‘That individual whom you are targeting has abused your mother’. It is as elementary as that.

“It is this kind of mentality that created Boko Haram and all its seedling, the sense of intolerance, the failure to understand that you are just another member of society and you have no right over another human being.

“My view is that we can complain, we can protest, we can condemn as much as we want. Until those who are guilty even of vicarious liability when a murder is committed are brought to book and made to apologise to the whole nation and do penance.”

UNIBEN Vice Chancellor Prof. Faraday Orumwense, said the second Eminent Lecture Series with its theme: “Culture At Risk” was apt and significant in the cultural antecedent of the great ancient city of Benin Kingdom.

He said the lecture series was one of his intellectual hallmarks and initiative to leave an indelible footprint in the history of the institution.