Saturday, July 11, 2026

Peter Obi can say ‘Yes Daddy’ but..: Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka says he sees no qualms in Peter Obi adulating revered cleric, David Oyedepo, so long as the context is right

• April 8, 2023
Peter Obi and Wole Soyinka
Peter Obi and Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka says he sees no qualms in Peter Obi adulating revered cleric, David Oyedepo, so long as the context is right.

Mr Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate in the February 25 election, has been in the eye of the storm since he was exposed for attempting to rally the support of Christians support in central states for a “religious war” on the eve of the election.

In the now viral conversation with Mr Oyedepo, exclusively published by Peoples Gazette, Mr Obi was heard many times answering “yes daddy” as the cleric made enquires.

Mr Obi has denied the said call and threatened to take legal action against The Gazette, but in a statement issued on Friday by Soyinka, he says he sees no qualms with Obi responding to Oyedepo with “Yes, daddy”, seeing as even Catholics “Yes, father” and secularists use “Ehn, Baba”.

“The context and content are what matters, and lies – where established – raise bothersome issues such as Integrity Deficiency,” Mr Soyinka said.

Earlier in the week, Professor Soyinka had called the ‘Obidient’ movement fascist, leading to heavy backlash from supporters of the Labour Party candidates.

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