Trish Lorenz, the British journalist and author, has come under fire over her latest book titled ‘Soro Soke: The Young Disruptors of an African Megacity’.
‘Soro Soke’, a Yoruba phrase, which means speak louder in English, was a popular term used by Nigerians during the #EndSARS protest in October 2020.
The protest, which lasted for about two weeks, was aimed at ending police brutality and excesses of operatives of the now-disbanded special anti-robbery squad (SARS) in the country.
In the book, Lorenz examined the bravery of youths who led the movement and featured the views of some Nigerians who took part in the demonstration.
The Berlin-based journalist had taken to Twitter to celebrate the project which was published on May 26. She also said the book won her the 2021/2022 Nine Dots Prize — which honours creative thinking that tackles contemporary societal issues.
I am so excited that my first book, Soro Soke, is published today. To see it advertised in the CUP bookstore windows is mind blowing. I can’t stop smiling https://t.co/umCdew27nh
— Trish Lorenz (@mstrishlorenz) May 26, 2022
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But in an interview on the book, the author had claimed she was the one who named the protesters “Soro Soke generation”.
“This cohort exhibits a confident outspokenness and a tendency for creative disruption, leading me to name them the Soro Soke generation (Soro Soke means ‘speak out’ in the Yoruba language),” she said.
Her claim has, however, provoked a chorus of backlash from many Nigerians on Twitter.
Several users accused her of trying to take credit for the term despite the fact that she did not initiate it.
“You named us Soro Soke generation. How? This is how these writers publish false and not so authentic stories. The next generation will read this and believe that Trish Lorenz a white woman, gave a name to Nigerians fighting for their right,” a user wrote.
“This is exactly what the white people did to our ancestors. Took many African heritages and forefathers, and claimed it to be theirs. Trish Lorenz @mstrishlorenz didn’t tweet once for the #EndSARS struggle in 2020 but this is 2022 and she’s appropriating the soro soke generation!” another user wrote.
Here are what others had to say:
Mungo Park is still alive, they don’t even conceal it | “This cohort exhibits a confident outspokenness and a tendency for creative disruption, leading ME to name them the Soro Soke generation” – 5 questions to Trish Lorenz https://t.co/5hxWlA87gV
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) May 29, 2022
I can't believe Mungo Park reincarnated in Trish Lorenz – boldly claiming she tagged Nigerian Youth as 'Soro Soke' generation
Advertisement— Adigun Abdulhameed (@dapraiseworthy) May 28, 2022
The story about the bloody struggles and resilience of Nigerians is not the story of Trish Lorenz to write. She should sit this one out. Giving this book 0/5 rating without reading. Doubt she even knows what “Soro Soke” means. This is embarrassing to say the least. https://t.co/EEmqy8kEFj
— Nnadi (@inkpharm) May 28, 2022
Dear TRISH LORENZ, You named the soro soke right? Yet you never Twitted about the soro soke movement coined by the youth of Nigeria and about the Endsars movement…..yet you have the audacity to claim originality of that word😳😳White eating from where they didn’t sow…
— OKPOLOKPO PAUL ON (@okpolokpopaulon) May 28, 2022
Trish Lorenz wrote a book about a movement she was never a part of or lent her voice to. She didn't stop there, she positioned herself as the coiner of "Soro Soke" and this messiah who is helping us tell our stories.
— The Yassification of Chinua Achebe (@Ethereal_ilo) May 28, 2022
Trish Lorenz's book on Soro Soke may not be the best representation of what the #EndSARS protests was all bout but the question is; y hasn't any Nigerian written about this or why haven't any movie been produced about this? If we don't write our story others will write it for us pic.twitter.com/gpjsjJaS8i
— Tweetlawyer🇳🇬 (@Tweetlawyer3) May 28, 2022
She said she named young Nigerians “soro soke generation”. Trish Lorenz is a liar. https://t.co/hYHPaLTx46
— Oritseminomi (@ominomi_o) May 28, 2022
The only problem here is that interview where Trish Lorenz says she named Nigeria's young population "the soro soke generation". That's false, silly, and way too familiar.
The rest of the outrage is well-meaning nonsense.https://t.co/rksYIAioLN
— Oris Aigbokhaevbolo (@Catchoris) May 29, 2022
What's this again?? A Trish Lorenz claiming she named the #EndSARS protesters the "Soro Soke Generation"!!! Where and when?
Exactly what Burna Boy was talking about in "Another Story" https://t.co/4Q6Ox0N49p pic.twitter.com/Ry1VmX9oRA— 'Wole Oduwole (@woldezzy) May 29, 2022
Had Africans mastered the art of scribbling their own experiences before the arrival of the European explorers, teaching how Mungo Park discovered River Niger to children in Africa schools would never have been on the table.
Trish Lorenz is cooking a similar 'beans'
— 🍷 (@XRotimi) May 29, 2022
"Soro soke" encapsulates the #EndSARS struggles of Nigerian youths who took a stand against police brutality that killed many Nigerian youths! But this Trish Lorenz is claiming to name us "the soro soke generation" and wants to profit off that struggle!https://t.co/Ofcx29P7xh
— Oluwatobi (@OSO_Tee) May 29, 2022
Trish Lorenz has messed with the wrong ones. I think it's about time she realized how powerful that name is.
Soro Soke
Trish Lorenz
Atiku
Wike#PDPPresidentialPrimaries #EndSARS— BlvckD.T👑🦅 (@KoreOni) May 28, 2022
Photo credit: (Cupbookshop)
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