Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has dismissed public perceptions describing the National Association of Seadogs, also known as Pyrates Confraternity, as a secret cult, insisting that the group is a transparent organisation engaged in humanitarian and advocacy work.
Soyinka, one of the founding members of the organisation, made the remarks over the weekend during the foundation-laying ceremony of the group’s new national secretariat in Abuja, held at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry complex.
He said despite decades of public service, advocacy and enlightenment campaigns, the association had continued to suffer from negative stereotyping.
“The larger society still finds it difficult to accept the obvious, that this is not a secret cult,” Soyinka said.
He faulted what he described as the persistence of misinformation, arguing that Nigerians often hold on to negative perceptions even in the face of evidence to the contrary.
“When they get hold of a negative idea, it is very difficult to win them away from that idea,” he added.
Soyinka also questioned what he called double standards in public perception of organised groups, noting that attention is often focused on legitimate civic organisations while more clandestine groups operate without scrutiny.
The new secretariat, he said, would strengthen coordination and expand the organisation’s humanitarian and advocacy programmes nationwide.
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) Capoon, Dr. Joseph Oteri, described the project as the physical consolidation of a decades-long vision, saying it would serve as a national hub for coordination, reflection and service.
He said the development symbolises unity across generations of members and reinforces the group’s commitment to justice and human dignity.
Also speaking, Chief Bassey Edem, Chairdawg of Tortuga-in-Council, said the new secretariat represents a renewed affirmation of the organisation’s founding ideals since 1952.
He described NAS as a “citadel of advocacy” committed to liberty, justice and service above self.
President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chief Emeka Obegolu, commended the group for its medical outreaches and social interventions, noting that its activities complement government efforts in community development.
Chairman of the NAS Board of Trustees, Prof. Olatunde Makanju, described the event as a milestone and called for swift development of the secretariat into a functional headquarters.
He also acknowledged Soyinka’s contributions to the organisation’s growth, alongside the donation of the land for the project by Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, who urged members to complete the structure within seven months as a symbol of the group’s legacy.
