Wole Soyinka who spoke at the prestigious Georgetown University in Washington, United States, paid a special tribute to Leah Sharibu, the Dapchi Christian schoolgirl who is still being held captive by Boko Haram. Soyinka in his tribute to Leah Sharibu, compared her to late South African iconic human rights champion and president, Nelson Mandela. 

He said at the event;
“We must celebrate the exception who said ‘no’ “as it reminded me of Mandela who refused conditional release”. Reciting the ode, “Mandela comes to Leah”, the renowned playwright clarified: “No”, she said, “Faith is not of compulsion. Her torch undimmed in the den of zealots.”

The Nobel laureate also shut down claims made by a Georgetown professor, who alleged that poverty and desperation were behind the Boko Haram insurgency.