Nigerian DJ Switch, whose real name is Obianuju Catherine Udeh, has sparked controversy by publicly criticizing renowned Nigerian writer and playwright, Wole Soyinka.
On the X micro-blogging platform (formerly Twitter), DJ Switch expressed her views on how Wole Soyinka has distanced himself from his own work and exhibited what she called “bigotry and myopic thinking” in recent months. She claimed that at a panel discussion about African writers, she took the opportunity to humorously critique Soyinka’s stance.
In her words: “I was a panelist at an event over the weekend, and just before the event started, we all got talking about African writers, including Nigeria’s contribution. Someone brought up Wole Soyinka… and I was given the floor. I would like to let you know that I did not hold back! Wole Soyinka, unlike many of his counterparts, chose to distance himself from his works and also displayed what I see as bigotry and narrow-mindedness recently. It was my pleasure to humorously critique him while maintaining decorum and acknowledging other Nigerian writers.”
This controversy arose after Wole Soyinka criticized Peter Obi over his loss in a presidential election, saying that the Labour Party (LP) leadership was promoting falsehood.
DJ Switch’s comments have generated mixed reactions from netizens, with some accusing her of disrespecting the Nobel laureate. One commenter criticized her for insulting an elder, while others defended Soyinka’s achievements and legacy.
It’s worth noting that Wole Soyinka has been in exile, which has influenced some opinions about his comments.
