Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to launch an urgent and comprehensive investigation into the unresolved and suspicious deaths of several prominent figures who played critical roles in Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement.
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Soyinka made the appeal on Saturday during a reflective fireside conversation with select journalists at Freedom Park, Lagos. The event, themed “June 12: Romancing the Embers,” was part of activities marking the anniversary of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election — a date now recognized as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
The Nobel Laureate specifically mentioned the unresolved killings of Dele Giwa, Kudirat Abiola, and Bola Ige, among others, urging the Tinubu administration to initiate a formal probe to bring long-awaited closure to their families and the nation.
“Tinubu should initiate a formal investigation into the strange circumstances surrounding the deaths of Nigerians who paid the ultimate price during the fight for democracy. This is essential to give meaning to the June 12 commemoration,” Soyinka said.
While acknowledging the symbolic value of June 12, Soyinka stressed that its legacy must transcend yearly speeches and rituals. According to him, true honour for the date must include justice for those who sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of democratic governance.
Soyinka also announced that any honour or recognition bestowed upon him on June 12 will henceforth be dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, describing the late rights activist as a fearless, intelligent, and tireless advocate for justice.
“Beko was not just a champion of good governance and democracy. He was willing to take dare-devil risks in pursuit of justice,” Soyinka noted.
Turning to former military president Ibrahim Babangida’s recently released memoir, A Journey in Service, published in February 2025 by Bookcraft Africa, Soyinka described the book as “unfinished.” He insisted that Babangida owes Nigerians a more complete account of his role in the annulment of the historic 1993 election.
“I called him and said, ‘your memoir is not finished.’ Isn’t it about time we name names?” Soyinka revealed, urging the former ruler to write a follow-up volume.
He suggested that Babangida’s memoir should be read alongside Professor Omo Omoruyi’s The Tale of June 12: The Betrayal of the Democratic Rights of Nigerians, which provides critical insider insight into the controversial annulment.
Soyinka further described Babangida as “a general without an army”, accusing him of bowing to pressures from both military and traditional institutions in voiding the election, widely believed to have been won by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.
“We know who visited him, the royal fathers who opposed the results. We know the forces that conspired. He must tell the full story — not me. He owes it to the nation,” Soyinka concluded.
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