Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has lambasted the Presidency for being at the forefront of the use of crudity and vulgar abuse of language in the ongoing political campaigns.

According to Soyinka, never before in the history of Nigeria has there been so much vitriol in electioneering.

The Professor made the statement on Tuesday, March 10, in Lagos at the public presentation of a book titled “Modern and Tradition Elite in the Politics of Lagos” written by Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole.

He said: “All of us here have passed through the electoral process furnace before now and I suspect we would mostly agree that never before have we been subjected to this level of sheer venom, crudity of and vulgar abuse of language in such prodigal quantities as in this current political exercise.”

“The very gift of communication, considered the distinguishing mark of cultured humanity even in polemical situations, has been debased, affecting even thought processes, I often suspect.”

“Speaking as objectively as is possible in such circumstances, I would say that, among the various camps, the most reckless and indecorous has sadly proved the incumbency camp, where restraint has been thrown to the wind with such abandon that even highly privileged spouses have publicly urged supporters to stone any voices raised in opposition to their cause.”

Speaking further, Soyinka also criticised former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s book, “My Watch”, which he described as “three tonnes of doctored and self-serving narratives.”