E.R.R

E.R.R

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

WOLE SOYINKA CHARGED IN IBADAN COURT OF THREATENING RADIO STAFF AT GUNPOINT ......11th November 1965 - ITN News::.

CONSISTENCY OF PURPOSE FOR YEARS AND TILL DATE : 
                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                Symbol of Liberation













                11th November 1965  - ITN News

AT IBADAN IN WESTERN NIGERIA, THE NIGERIAN PLAYWRIGHT AND UNIVERSITY LECTURER, WOLE SOYINKA WAS ACCUSED IN COURT YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) OF BEING THE GUNMAN WHO LAST MONTH SUBSTITUTED AN ANTI-GOVERNMENT BROADCAST FOR ONE BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF WESTERN NIGERIA, CHIEF SAMUEL AKINTOLA.

SOYINKA WAS CHARGED WITH  TAKING  TWO TAPES BY FORCE , THE PROPERTY OF THE NIGERIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AND THREATENING VIOLENCE. THE PROSECUTION ALLEGED THAT SOYINKA GOT INTO THE OFFICE OF RADIO NIGERIA, HELD UP THE STAFF ON DUTY AT GUNPOINT, AND REMOVED THE TWO TAPES CONTAINING THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH. IT WAS ABOUT TO BE RELAYED, BUT HE SUBSTITUTED ANOTHER.

EARLIER THE HEARING WAS ADJOURNED BRIEFLY TO ENABLE THE DEFENCE TO GET FULLER EVIDENCE. THIS FOLLOWED A COMPLAINT BY LEADING DEFENCE COUNSEL, MR MICHAEL A ODESANYA, THAT THE PROSECUTION HAD REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH THE COURT'S RULING LAST WEEK THAT THE DEFENCE SHOULD BE SUPPLIED WITH PROOF OF EVIDENCE BEFORE THE HEARING BEGAN.

(SOYINKA WAS IN LONDON FOR THE RECENT COMMONWEALTH ARTS FESTIVAL AT WHICH HIS PLAY, "THE ROAD," WAS PRESENTED.)






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