The call came on the heels of the diatribe the First Lady launched against Soyinka in which she described the Nobel laureate as an “embarrassment” for attributing the crisis rocking Rivers State to her and her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan, after one of the lawmakers, Hon Evans Bipi, openly confessed…
Nigerians, who took to Twitter and other social networks to voice their concern over Patience Jonathan’s outburst, called on Channels Television to organise a debate for the two.
According to them, the TV station’s Sunrise Daily, a news and current affairs programme that features prominent Nigerians, who are experts in their areas of specialisation, will provide a level playing ground for the duo to thrash out the knotty issues they were arguing on.
To actualise their dreams, a cross section of them sent messages in a tweet to the handle of the programme as well as the main official handle of the television station on Sunday.
A Twitter user, with the name Abdul Slimzy said, “It would be really nice to see Patience Jonathan and Wole Soyinka argue on Channels TV @sunrisedailynow in English Language o.”
An anonymous reader on a blog said, “Kindly call on Channels TV to organise a debate between Prof. Wole Soyinka and Dame Patience Jonathan. I know we go laugh pass ‘Night of a Thousand Laugh’.”
Another user of the micro-blogging service with the name, Hig-Wayne Cannon, said he would be looking forward to the debate on national TV as it would be a clash of the titans. Cannon notes, “You can expect a volcanic grammatical literary of freestyles. What a collabo #Titans.”
However, some users of the micro-blogging service boasted that the wife of the President would come out tops after the debate. One of such users of the social network who beat his chest on this was Yakubu Dogara. He says, “I bet it that Dame Patience will win the debate as it will be unwise for the Prof. (Wole Soyinka) to attend much more utter a word.”
Another Nigerian said on twitter that Soyinka, who clocked 79 Saturday, should simply steer clear of joining issues with the First Lady and save himself from being on the receiving end of public bashing which he described as “lethal weapon” emanating from her.
The social network user noted, “Prof, even at 79, we still need you around.”
On Naira Land, a Nigerian with the name, My Time, argued, “I still maintain that Patience Jonathan has no moral justification to attack the professor. Her only portfolio is being the wife of the President. Soyinka has achieved a lot and demands respect. He is one of our national icons and a gift to this nation. He commands more respect outside the shores of this country than she does and can ever get.”
By Punch’s Temitayo Famutimi
