By Ayo Kehiinde
Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has declared that human life has been devalued in Nigeria, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bring an end to killings by state actors and ensure that those responsible for abuses are held accountable.
Soyinka made the call on Friday during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lectures held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he dedicated the 2026 edition of the annual lecture to victims of extrajudicial killings and state excesses.
Addressing participants at the event, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” the literary icon lamented that beyond the killings themselves, Nigeria’s greatest tragedy is the collective silence that allows perpetrators to escape justice.
He argued that the inaction of citizens in the face of repeated human rights violations has emboldened those who abuse state power and contributed to the continued erosion of the sanctity of human life.
“Through these remarks, I pay honour to those who have lost their lives because of the deficiencies of the state which have led to the devaluation of human life,” Soyinka said.
Soyinka dedicated the lecture to victims of some of Nigeria’s most disturbing cases of violence, including the 18 Ughelli residents allegedly killed by state agencies, a young man reportedly shot dead by a policeman in broad daylight, and Deborah, who was lynched and burnt alive by a mob.
“Today is dedicated to the 18 Ughelli residents butchered by state agencies for no reason at all, simply for minding their own business; to the young man shot dead in broad daylight by a policeman while under suspicion; and to Deborah, the youth hunted through the city by her own classmates, necklaced and set ablaze,” he said.
Soyinka maintained that the country’s justice system had repeatedly failed victims and their families by allowing perpetrators to evade accountability.
“The crime is the silence of the rest of us, that such a thing is possible and that the killers of that girl can actually go on television, hold up a match and say, ‘This is the match with which I set her on fire.’ And there the system of justice fails us completely,” he added.
Responding to critics who accuse him of provoking religious tensions whenever he speaks against injustice, Soyinka dismissed such claims, insisting that defending human life transcends religious, ethnic, or political divides.
He said gatherings such as the Wole Soyinka Lectures remain necessary to remind Nigerians that the human person remains the most fundamental unit of every society.
The elder statesman also urged Nigerians to closely monitor the case involving a policeman accused of fatally shooting a young man in southern Nigeria, insisting that citizens must continue demanding justice until the judicial process is concluded.
Delivering the keynote address, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, argued that justice begins long before a matter reaches the courtroom.
According to him, justice starts from the moment police officers determine whether complaints are investigated fairly or ignored because of influence, power, or social status.
Highlighting the challenges confronting Nigeria’s justice and correctional systems, Chidoka disclosed that about 64 per cent of inmates in custodial centres—more than 50,000 Nigerians—are awaiting trial despite not being convicted of any offence.
“Each of these 50,000 is a life in suspension, a job lost, a family destabilised, someone’s health failing. When the state causes that delay, and citizens pay for it in lost liberty, the delay is not inefficiency; it is a form of violence carried out by the state itself,” he said.
He insisted that justice must apply equally to every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, or social standing.
“A citizen who defeats government in court must not face a second battle to compel obedience. Justice is also tested by how society treats those it dislikes.
“The law is not established when it protects only our friends. Justice must defend the accused, the unpopular, the political opponent, and the minority because citizenship does not depend on agreement. Where justice is negotiable, citizenship becomes hierarchical,” Chidoka stated.
Earlier in his opening remarks, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe, urged participants not to allow the annual lecture to become another ceremonial event but to use it as a platform for meaningful national reflection.
Drawing from his years in public service, Alaibe stressed that sustainable development cannot flourish where accountability is absent and institutions remain weak.
He called on government officials, civil society groups, academics, and the private sector to recommit themselves to rebuilding Nigeria through integrity, transparency, and responsible leadership.
“Nations are not reclaimed by rhetoric alone; they are reclaimed when conscience triumphs over confidence, when institutions are stronger than individuals, and when citizens summon the courage to do what is right, even when it is difficult,” Alaibe said.
The 28th Wole Soyinka Lectures ended with a renewed call for institutional reforms, respect for the rule of law, and greater civic courage, as participants agreed that restoring accountability and ending impunity remain essential to rebuilding public trust in the Nigerian state.
