Noble Laureate, Professor Wole Soyika has said that Nigeria has been assailed by one of the most ruthless enemies of humanity that the nation has ever known before, in form of Boko Haram, whose members he swore, are not Muslims or defending Islam.

“I do not have to tell you that never was a nation more in need of reflection and selfless re-dedication than at this moment. Whether we choose to admit it or not, we are assailed by one of the most ruthless enemies of humanity that the nation has ever known.

“Boko Haram claim to derive their inspiration and commitment to the religion of Islam, but you and I know that they are nothing more than bloodthirsty liars and blasphemers. Their actions brand them as obsessive enemies of learning, enlightenment and indeed of humanity. My message to you all is straightforward:

“We must not despair, and we must never submit. We must never forget their victims who must now be counted in thousands. We must dedicate ourselves to the recovery of the missing, the rehabilitation of the displaced, and the healing of the wounded and traumatized.”

Soyinka spoke today in his message to the youths who participated in the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange project, 2015 to mark his 81st birthday in his Ijegba forest home town, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He felicitated with Muslims and advised them to join hands in expelling Boko Haram from the society,  adding: “no matter to what part of the nation we primarily belong, irrespective of whatever religion we espouse, and no matter where we find ourselves in these troubled times, we must link arms and stand against the forces of irredeemable evil, and be guided by pronouncements that promote our common humanity in defiance of a murderous minority.

“What binds us all together is that common faculty – the mind – a faculty that identifies us as a living species apart from the common herd, such as those rams and goats that will be slaughtered for feasting when this season of fasting and sacrifices is over. We must not surrender.

“We must not even accommodate those who believe that our youth exist only for enslavement and arbitrary slaughter. These creatures are not part of us. They belong to no known community of humans. We must join hands in expelling them from our midst and remain dedicated to that eternal human undertaking – the pursuit of truth and illumination through the exercise of the mind.” [myad]

President Muhammadau Buhari has sent a warning to those he called ‘successive cabals of corrupt leaders and their cronies’ to stay clear of his government as the business as usual has gone forever.
Said the President: “there is indeed much work to be done, but we must do it well and carefully to ensure that the great opportunity which we now have is not lost to the “business as usual” group who selfishly or shortsightedly prefer a status quo that panders to their personal or group interests.”
President Buhari, in his Eid-el-Fitri (Sallah) message to Nigerians today, said that he remained wholly committed to giving the required leadership towards undoing the wrongs of the past and to ensure that Nigeria truly begins to unlock its great potential and that the benefits of its immense national resources are shared and enjoyed by all, “not just by successive cabals of corrupt leaders and their cronies.
“I was very aware of your high expectations when I assumed office and I reassure you, my fellow citizens, that since my inauguration on the 29th of May this year, I have been working with utmost dedication to meticulously plan and tackle the many national challenges which we identified and promised to resolve. To succeed however, I need your continued support, understanding and patience.
“I fully understand and share the thirst of my long-suffering compatriots for corruption-free government institutions that work efficiently to deliver visible development for the benefit of all citizens. I also share the feelings of those who think that we should be moving faster.  But I urge them and all Nigerians to trust that my commitment to  real and positive change in our nation is as firm as ever.”
President Buhari noted that the adverse effects of years of rot, corruption, inept and bad governance on our nation are immense, but that they are not insurmountable if we all resolve now to place the well-being of our nation above all other considerations and work whole-heartedly with the present administration to achieve greater peace and security across the nation, and reposition our country for faster economic development and progress.
The President rejoiced with Nigerians, especially those who have successfully completed the Ramadan fast in keeping with the injunction of our Creator.
He said that though we have come to the end of this year’s month of Ramadan, but that the acceptance by Nigerians of its key lessons, of self-denial and sacrifice will serve our dear country well as we strive to overcome our present challenges, undo the damage done by years of bad governance and accelerate the pace of national development.
According to President Buhari, some commentators and observers have reviewed our dire circumstances and the many missed opportunities of the past and have concluded that this time is Nigeria’s last chance to get its act together and finally begin to fulfill its God-given potential for greatness. [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the dissolution of the Governing Boards of Federal Parastatals, Agencies and Institutions with effect from today, July 16.
A statement by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina today said that until the boards are reconstituted, Chief Executive Officers of the affected parastatals, agencies and institutions are to refer all matters requiring the attention of their boards to the President, through the Permanent Secretaries of their supervising ministries.
The statement said that while the dissolution does not affect Federal Executive Bodies listed in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it covers administrative or technical committees and other similar organs established by the now dissolved boards. [myad]