Cambridge University Press, publisher of Trish Lorenz’s ‘Soro Soke: The Young Disruptors of an African Megacity’ and the controversial interview where she claimed to have invented ‘Soro Soke’ and Nine Dotz Prize that gave her an award for the book have jointly issued a clarification.
Cambridge Press clarified that the interview had been updated and described the author’s gaffe as “unintentional”.
“There was no intention by Trish Lorenz or anyone involved with the book to suggest that Trish invented the phrase ‘Soro Soke Generation’,” the joint statement read.
“No such claim was made in the book. Rather, it was an unintentional turn of phrase in a single interview, the text of which has now been corrected.
“Soro Soke was chosen as its title due to its use as a rallying cry and call for change among young protestors in Nigeria, something which is made clear in the book.”
The Germany-based author had caused controversy online after her book ‘Soro Soke’ was released. She had, in an interview, claimed that she named EndSars 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,” she said.
The claim generated backlash on Twitter, with Nigerians calling for her book to be pulled down. They had also started a petition calling her to remove ‘Soro Soke’ from the publication, stating that she had no right to claim ownership of the phrase.
The publication won her the 2021/2022 Nine Dots Prize, which lauds creative thinking that tackles contemporary societal issues.
In her book, Lorenz, who is based in Berlin, examined the bravery of youths who led the movement and featured the views of some Nigerians who took part in the demonstration.
