TRANSCRIPT 5.2.1

1994 BBC audio clip ("World: Africa, Profile: Moshood Abiola," 1998, July 7)Nic Newman: What is happening at your house? Are you being arrested?
Chief Abiola: I am being arrested; I am just going out now with the police.
Nic Newman: Hello?
Chief Abiola: You see, [inaudible] started here and I have been, I am being escorted out…[inaudible]
Nic Newman: Why are they arresting you?
Chief Abiola: They are arresting me on an allegation of 70 nameless treason or something like that. They are not doing anything; they are just taking me away. Please let me go! You know I am delaying them.
Nic Newman: And so where are you now? Are you in your car?
Chief Abiola: I am in my car now.Nic Newman: Is it police who are with you in your car, or are they escorted, they…
Chief Abiola: The commissioner of police is in the car with me, and my senior wife is in the car with me.
Nic Newman: Why are they letting you talk on the phone to the BBC while they are in the middle of arresting you?
Chief Abiola: They have come to arrest me, not to arrest my mouth.
Nic Newman: You sound very cheerful about it, Chief Abiola.
Chief Abiola: Of course. [Laugh] It’s all part of democracy here.
Nic Newman: And you are happy to go to the police and await whatever charges they are going to file against you?
Chief Abiola: Not in any way, in any way [inaudible]. Any sacrifice is in order if it will bring democracy, peace, and prosperity to Nigeria.
Nic Newman: Is it possible to talk to the commissioner of police who is with you in the car?
Chief Abiola: I don’t know if the commissioner of police is authorized to talk. He cannot talk to the press.
Nic Newman: What is your advice now to your supporters, many of whom we heard a moment ago?
Chief Abiola: Well, I told them before I left home to just stay calm. It is very, very important that they stay calm.
Nic Newman: So you are appealing for calm, you don’t want them to take any direct action in your support?
Chief Abiola: No, no, no, no, no.
Nic Newman: You still say you are the president of Nigeria, but it’s not much good if you are going to be in jail.
Chief Abiola: Mandela was in jail for 27 years; Kenyatta was in jail as opposed—that is one of the qualification in this part of the world. Don’t worry yourself, my friend.
Announcer: Chief Abiola talking to Nick Newman in Newshour on the World Service.
Nic Newman: You still say you are the president of Nigeria, but it’s not much good if you are going to be in jail.
Chief Abiola: Mandela was in jail for 27 years; Kenyatta was in jail as opposed—that is one of the qualification in this part of the world. Don’t worry yourself, my friend.
Announcer: Chief Abiola talking to Nick Newman in Newshour on the World Service.