Reveal source of fake news attributed to me and get $1000 – Soyinka

By Nehru Odeh

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has placed a $1,000 bounty on the source of fake news attributed to him in the last six months.

Soyinka, who has always expressed his reservation and angst against those who ascribe false stories to him, said he was ready to give anyone who reveals the source of any fake news attributed to him.

Soyinka made this disclosure in an exclusive interview with Arise TV News Morning Show programme on Wednesday 5 April, complaining bitterly about the false information linked to him as peddled by media platforms.

The literary icon also warned Nigerians to be wary of unfounded information published as fake news capable of stoking violence, which is dangerous to the country’s democracy.

“Even, as recently as a few days ago. Some verbiage, some garbage, some nauseating news, which you’ve seen many times before have resurrected and attributed to Wole Soyinka. It makes me sick. I do not see why that could not be solved.

“In fact, I think it has reached a stage I’m going to go further. I want to use this opportunity now to announce a reward. I’m not a rich man, but I’m going to announce a reward.

“I look at my account and can afford a thousand dollars to anyone who can finger successfully the author of some of the tracts that are attributed to me over the past six months.

“We have repudiated again and again. Other people (would) come out to say Wole Soyinka never said this. There are some who want to believe it and there are those who have some tractions.

“So, permit me to use you as my advertising board to place a thousand dollars on those (peddling fake news about me).

“I will even go further to raise additional funds for anyone who can please relieve us of false attribution of fake news.