You Are No Longer An Icon, Atiku Tells Soyinka At 85

Despite publicly stating that he finds President Buhari and Atiku “worthy of absolute rejection” prior to the 2019 presidential election, former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Saturday, sent a congratulatory message to Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka as he clocks 85.

In his congratulatory message, he described Soyinka as a national treasure who has gone beyond the icon status to become an institution of literacy excellence and conscientious activism.

He further thanked Soyinka for putting Nigeria on the Nobel map, coupled with his role in FRSC growth and positive impact on Nigerian youth.

Atiku said: “Happy 85th birthday Professor Oluwole Soyinka. I would have used the word icon to describe you, but you are beyond that. You are an institution. An institution of literary excellence and conscientious activism. A national treasure, you are Nigeria’s pride and a beacon to Africa.”

“In wishing you many more years of life, I celebrate the fact that, like wine, you are getting better with age. We have a lot to thank you for. From putting us on the Nobel map to getting FRSC up & running, and expanding the minds of our youth. We can never thank you enough.”