Wole Soyinka Berates ‘Identity Thieves’ Who Create Social Media Accounts With His Name

The Nobel laureate dissociated himself and the Wole Soyinka Foundation from every Facebook and Twitter account posing as him or his foundation.

 

Nigeria's first Nobel Prize winner, Professor Wole Soyinka, has condemned individuals who have created social media accounts under his name, calling them “identity thieves” and “forgers.”
The Nobel laureate dissociated himself and the Wole Soyinka Foundation from every Facebook and Twitter account posing as him or his foundation.
Mr. Soyinka said this on Monday during a press conference organized to unveil the participants of an exchange program organized by the Wole Soyinka Foundation in partnership with Lebanese University.
“They created a Wole Soyinka blogspot, or whatever. There is also a Wole Soyinka Twitter. Please, press, I am begging you to note that I don't do Facebook, I don't do Twitter and I don't do blogs,” he said.
Mr. Soyinka urged the press to denounce all accounts impersonating him and the foundation.
“I implore you in the name of whatever it is you believe in to help squash them like bed bugs. They are very believable in that they get the right pictures. They went as far as getting the authentic publications and activities and they string them all over the place.
"Please note that they are fake. There is only one Wole Soyinka Foundation,” Mr. Soyinka said.
The professor of English and literary studies also sought support for the exchange program with Lebanese University. He urged corporate organizations, government bodies and individuals to support the foundation by sponsoring young Nigerians for the exchange program held annually in Lebanon.
The first edition of the study travel program sponsored five students selected across Nigerian universities to broaden their worldviews and further their education.
This year, Mr. Soyinka revealed that ten young Nigerian writers have been selected for the exchange program. He said they will depart from Nigeria for Lebanon on Tuesday, September 12.