Peter Okoye, PBA Journalism Mentee
Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has announced a reward of $1,000 for any person with a good source of fake news attributed to him in the last six months.
Soyinka made this pledge during an interview with Arise TV News Morning Show on Wednesday while lamenting false information linked to him on some media platforms.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHe further urged Nigerians to be cautious of unfounded information and fake news, as they are capable of causing violence and destruction to the Nigerian democracy.
“I also want to use this opportunity, if you don’t mind, to warn your audience: Please beware of fake news. A lot of damage is being done by the propagation of fake news.
“Even, as recently as a few days ago. Some verbiage, some garbage, and some nauseating news, which you’ve seen many times before have been 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.
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“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. Some want to believe it and some 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,” he said.
