Professor Wole Soyinka has condemned the members of the National Association of Seadogs, otherwise called Pyrates Confraternity, singing, marching and mocking the APC 2023 presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in a song.

 

This is coming after video when viral on Sunday which showed the moment several members of the Pyrates Confraternity came out in their numbers, dressed in red and white attire, and were heard chanting

 

“Baba wey no well e dey shout emi lo kan (Baba that is sick is saying it’s his turn)”, and “hand dey shake (hand that shakes)”.

Reacting to the viral video in a statement on Monday August 8, the Nobel Laureate said he’s not part of the performance and is not in anyway connected to the feelings the remarks were intended to convey. The statement reads;

 

 

“The display acidly targets a presidential candidate in the awaited 2023 elections. Since the whole world knows of my connection with that fraternity, it is essential that I state in clear, unambiguous terms, that I am not involved in that public performance, nor in any way associated with the sentiments expressed in the songs.

 

 

“Like any other civic group, the Pyrates Confraternity is entitled to its freedom of expression, individually or collectively. So also is Wole Soyinka in his own person. I do not interfere in, nor do I attempt dictate the partisan political choices of the Confraternity.

 

 

I remain unaware that the association ever engages in a collective statement of sponsorship or repudiation of any candidate This is clearly a new and bizarre development, fraught with unpredictable consequences.

 

 

“In addition, let me make the following cultural affirmation. I have listened to the lyrics of the chant intently and I am frankly appalled. I find it distasteful. I belong to a culture where we do not mock physical afflictions or disabilities. Very much the contrary.

 

 

“The Yoruba religion indeed designate a deity, Obatala, as the divine protector of the afflicted, no matter the nature of such affliction. This sensibility is engrained in us from childhood and remains with us all our lives. It operates on the principle of mortal frailty to which all humanity remains vulnerable.”

 

 

Soyinka added that further statement will be issued when “I have made further enquiries into this strange, uncharacteristic outing of the association”.

 

 

Hand dey shake
Leg dey shake
Baba wey no well
E dey shout emi lo kan
Lyrics by the Association of Seadogs ( The pyrates confraternity)
Wole Soyinka say em no dey in support of people mocking a sick man
Oya make the sick man rest na🙄 pic.twitter.com/3mDI02NVnl

— Etiquette. (@Abuchi_Sylveste) August 8, 2022