Reno Omokri, an ex-aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has criticised Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka over the advice he gave music superstar, Davido.
KanyiDaily recalls that Davido has been facing widespread backlash from Muslims after he took to his Twitter page and shared a music video for a song titled “Jaye Lo” by his signee, Logos Olori.
Some Muslim youths took to the streets of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to demonstrate their grievances against the music video which they deemed disrespectful to their religion.
Although Davido bowed to pressure and deleted the music video after being accused of disrespecting Islam, some people are still demanding for an apology from the singer.
Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Wole Soyinka came to Davido’s defense, insisting that the singer owes no one an apology including the offended Muslim faithfuls.
Soyinka also pointed out that former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El Rufai, made derogatory comments about Christians in the past without facing demands for an apology.
He noted that it wasn’t Davido’s music that caused the tragic incident involving Deborah Yakubu, a second-year Christian college student who was killed by a mob of Muslim students in Sokoto last year over alleged blasphemy.
The Professor said there was no basis for Davido to apologize to Muslims, noting that Nigerians should develop the ability to distinguish between the artists and their artistic creations.
In response to Soyinka’s comment, Reno Omokri expressed his disapproval, stressing that it would be unwise for Davido to take advice from an atheist.
The former presidential aide argued that an atheist like Soyinka couldn’t understand the feelings of people who believe in God and practice Islam.
He emphasized that Islam belongs to Muslims, and it’s not appropriate for individuals from other religions or atheists to dictate how Muslims should feel when their faith is used in ways they disapprove of.
Omokri also pointed out that Soyinka demanded apolology from the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and also supported redress for Osun worshippers but now appears against redress for Muslims.
He commended Davido for deleting the offending video, stressing that apologizing would bring the matter to a close and soothe the hurt feelings of the Muslim community.
”It would be very unwise for Davido to take the counsel of an atheist like Professor Wole Soyinka, who is telling him he owes no apology to Muslims, over the video for the song jaye lo. This is a man who does not believe in God. How can he then know how people who believe in God feel?
“Islam belongs to Muslims, who assert that they received it from God. It is not for an atheist or a Christian or any practitioner of another religion other than Islam to tell them how to feel when their faith is used in ways they disapprove of.
“Is this not the same Professor Wole Soyinka who, just two weeks ago, on July 7, 2023, condemned the Emir of Ilorin for stopping an Osun priestess, Yeye Ajesikemi Omolara, from holding an Isese festival in Ilorin and demanded redress for Osun worshippers? So, why is he now against redress for Muslims?
“Nigerians need to remember that this is the same Wole Soyinka who, on May 8, 2023, boasted that Peter Obi apologised to him in person over the attacks on his person by Obidients. Yet, he is here counselling Davido not to apologise to Muslims over a video they consider sacrilegious.
“Christians have also previously taken offence with movies and music that, in our view, are sacrilegious about the person of our Lord and Saviour. These include the movies The First Temptation of Christ and The Last Temptation of Christ. We collectively boycotted these movies and demanded an apology and their recall.
“We were also upset when Mallam Nasir El-Rufai made a crude joke about our Lord and Saviour. How will we feel if a Muslim celebrity comes out to say we do not deserve any apology for those movies and jokes?
“In Mark 12:31, our Lord told us to love our neighbour as ourselves. Muslims are our neighbours. They joined us in condemning El-Rufai when he made his crude Jesus joke. They united with us in asking him to apologise. Under pressure from both Christians and Muslims, El-Rufai apologised.
“Deleting the offending video is a first step for which I commend Davido. Apologising will put the matter to an end and assuage the hurt feelings of Muslims.
“An elder should be known for putting out fires, not for adding fuel to flames. We need peaceful religious coexistence in Nigeria. We do not need religious rivalry,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Investigative Journalist, Kemi Olunloyo has warned Davido to leave Nigeria due to the backlash he is facing from the Muslim community.
