Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, a prominent literary figure, has spoken in defense of Davido, stating that the singer does not owe Muslims an apology for the controversial music video shared by his signee, Logos Olori, on Twitter.
Recalling past incidents, Soyinka mentioned how he intervened years ago when former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El Rufai, made derogatory comments about Christians.
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He pointed out that in that instance, the demand for an apology was unnecessary, and similarly, no apology should be demanded from Davido.
Soyinka expressed disagreement with Shehu Sani, who reportedly demanded an apology from Davido on behalf of the Muslim community. He asserted that there is no need for such an apology, and society should not indulge in contrived contrition.
The literary icon emphasized the right of artists to deploy dance in religious settings as a universal heritage, and particularly in the case of Islam, where a plot of land can be turned into a sacral space for worship.
Soyinka acknowledged that he had not seen the controversial video, but he urged people to interpret it as a form of artistic expression in a religious context, rather than taking offense and inciting negativity.
He emphasized the greater responsibility of addressing the root issues of religion in the nation, specifically the sectarian appropriation of the power of life and death over believers and non-believers alike, for real or imagined offenses.
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Soyinka urged society to focus on these fundamental issues, which include cases of injustice and arbitrary detention, rather than getting distracted by insignificant matters.
In summary, Soyinka’s statement defended artistic freedom and called for addressing more pressing issues in society rather than demanding apologies for artistic expressions.
