By Cross Udo, Abuja
Nobel Laureate and one of the founders of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Prof. Wole Soyinka, over the weekend declared that the Pyrates Confraternity is not a secret cult.
Speaking over the weekend while laying the foundation stone for a new national secretariat of the association in Abuja at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry complex, Soyinka said false public perceptions had long burdened NAS despite its consistent record of humanitarian service, advocacy and intellectual engagement.
“The larger society… still finds it difficult to accept the obvious, that this is not a secret cult,” Soyinka said, lamenting that many Nigerians remained attached to negative stereotypes about the organisation.
He said society’s preference for sensational narratives had continued to overshadow NAS’s transparent operations and contributions to justice, human rights and public enlightenment.
“Once they get hold of a negative idea, it’s very difficult to win them away from that idea,” he stated.
Soyinka questioned why NAS was repeatedly labelled wrongly while genuine violent cult groups operated with less scrutiny.
“When did we ever even smell the goings-on in the genuine, secret, diabolical cults of this country?” he asked.
He also recounted how even highly placed individuals, including a governor, had misunderstood the association’s mission, reinforcing the depth of public ignorance surrounding the Pyrates Confraternity.
Soyinka said the new secretariat would strengthen NAS’s humanitarian interventions, advocacy programmes, and nationwide institutional coordination.
He urged members to remain committed to the association’s founding values of justice, discipline, integrity and service to humanity.
NAS Capoon, Dr Joseph Oteri, described the project as the physical consolidation of a vision nurtured over decades.
He said the secretariat would serve as a national anchor for reflection, coordination and renewed commitment to NAS’s enduring ideals of fearless advocacy, justice and human dignity.
Oteri noted that the structure symbolised unity across generations of Seadogs and would position the organisation for greater national impact.
Chairdawg of Tortuga-in-Council, Chief Bassey Edem, described the project as a historic reaffirmation of NAS’s role as a defender of liberty, justice and human dignity since 1952.
He said the national secretariat would serve as “a house of ideas, a citadel of advocacy,” and a permanent symbol of the association’s commitment to service above self.
President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chief Emeka Obegolu, praised NAS’s humanitarian work, including medical outreach, social justice advocacy and public enlightenment campaigns.
He said the association’s interventions had improved community welfare while complementing government efforts in national development.
Chairman of NAS Board of Trustees, Prof. Olatunde Makanju, hailed the ceremony as a historic milestone and praised Soyinka for his enduring sacrifices, visionary leadership and continued material contributions to NAS’s long-term institutional development.
Makanju also lauded Prof. Adesoji Adesugba for donating the prime Abuja property, urging NAS leadership to accelerate development of the site into a befitting national headquarters capable of advancing the association’s ideological mission and expanding its humanitarian footprint.
Adesugba said the land donation was a personal commitment to an organisation that shaped his values, worldview and sense of service, stressing that NAS must continually invest in strengthening its institutional legacy.
He asked members to establish a national secretariat within seven months, noting that an association of over 7,000 members has the capacity to deliver a landmark structure that reflects its heritage, ideals, and national relevance.
