by Kolapo Olapoju

Online news platform, The Cable Newspaper, may have apologised to Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, over a report, stating that he belittled the Igbo ethnic group over their voting pattern in the recently-concluded general elections, – however, the folks on Twitter appear to be out for blood.

The simply aren’t impressed with the apology below from the news platform:

“The management of Cable Newspaper Ltd, publishers of TheCable, would like to make the following statement concerning our report on the lecture by Professor Wole Soyinka at the Harvard University Hutchins Centre for African & African American Research. Soyinka was quoted to have made derogatory remarks about the Igbo over their voting pattern in the March 28 presidential election. He has since denied the offensive quotes attributed to him.”

“After an in-house investigation, we have come to the conclusion that the story misrepresented the views expressed by Soyinka in the question-and-answer session after his lecture. We take full responsibility for the inaccuracy and promise that we will continue to strive to improve our standards. Also, we wish to reiterate that we take our professional responsibilities very seriously, as our readers can attest to. We hereby offer an unreserved apology to Soyinka, Ndigbo and our readers. Signed: Management of Cable Newspaper Ltd.”

The general consensus on #NigerianTwitter is that some heads must roll and a scapegoat must be presented before they can move on… from the sensitive matter.

Below are the top 15 reactions:

Even the apology was stupid… Soyinka “has since denied the negative quotes attributed to him”. Denied? @thecableng

— Ngozi Orji (@HRC_Ngo) May 7, 2015

This is not the first time @thecableng will be dishing out fake news. Management should be changed if they must remain relevant

— Mr Dostoevsky (@MrDostoevsky) May 7, 2015

@jag_bros @thecableng WS exposed their mischievous mind. They are forced to eat their vomit. The height foolishness and stupidity. Shame!!!

— Babatunde Toba (@daddychelsea) May 7, 2015

@simonkolawole @thecableng should know better than to publish unsubstantiated and false stories. This is very unprofessional. Soyinka

— Mr Uche (@Demoore90210) May 7, 2015

5. The @thecableng‘s article was, let’s be clear, an act of terrorism against our democracy. Heads must be seen to roll and a @mohgarmg

— Mijeroh (@MijerohNg) May 7, 2015

@thecableng shame on you for propagating falsehood.

— chukwuemeka (@chuxekere) May 7, 2015

@simonkolawole Am still expecting a personal apology and not d one from @thecableng

— eneh…! (@emekene) May 7, 2015

@thecableng you apologise? And that makes it ok huh? After almost igniting a tribal war? Sigh.

— Big Daddy (@dapoolutope) May 7, 2015

So @thecableng thinks saying sorry will wash away what they did abi? After making some scallywags poke fun @WS?No there must be consequences

— Akintan Bidemi (@AkintanBidemi) May 7, 2015

.@thecableng Good. Now tell us exactly what he said, because without it your apology is null. Waiting…

— Austin Nwachukwu (@nit5ua) May 7, 2015

@simonkolawole @thecableng https://t.co/whT1xtj0sI

— Hafsa Ibrahim (@waleedarh) May 7, 2015

@thecableng 5) However, it was so disappointing to read ur fabricated Wole Soyinka story. Are you saying investigative journalism is dead?

— Eyitayo A. Oginni (@EyitayoOginni) May 7, 2015

One needs to be circumspect of online garbage we call online news. @thecableng were purely unprofessional! For me, it’s a useless apology.

— V|#BringBackOurGirls (@vicmoss11) May 7, 2015

@thecableng @DOlusegun an apology ain’t enough. Who is the human being that reported the story? Who is the editor that gave approval?

— Layemi #CFC (@olayhemmie) May 7, 2015

@thecableng@jag_bros you people look so stupid right now huh? You post news without proper verification now apologising right? U shd b sued

— Engr.Tunde Orimidupa (@blastedup) May 7, 2015