Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has described former American President Donald Trump as a “menace,” a “danger to the world,” and a “consummate liar.”
In an interview with TheNEWS to mark his 90th birthday, Soyinka criticised Trump’s understanding and manipulation of the American psyche.
“Trump is not as clever as he thinks he is,” Soyinka stated.
“But he studied and understood the American psyche. He knew the right chord to tweak to get them on his side, to get them to believe anything he said. I don’t think the world has ever known such a consummate liar like Donald Trump.”
Soyinka also drew a parallel with Nigerian politics, noting that Nigeria has had its own share of deceitful leaders, albeit ones he considered less effective than Trump.
“We have had one here also, but he is just a copycat beside Donald Trump,” Soyinka said, without naming the person.
“If you want to find out what is going on, look at all the many lies of this fellow called Trump. So many lies. But I don’t want to go in that direction. Let’s just remark it and move on.”
He further criticised a Nigerian politician he accused of trying to emulate Trump, stating that this person had only managed to manipulate a small segment of the Nigerian psyche.
“Again, I don’t want to talk about that. So, let’s move on. But Donald Trump is a menace, he is a danger to the world. I mean it. It is not just to America. He is a danger to the world,” Soyinka said.
Reflecting on his own experiences with the United States, Soyinka recounted the controversy surrounding his decision to cut up his Green Card in protest of Trump’s policies.
“This reminds me of the Green Card episode in which I could not believe that there were people in this country who actually made it their business to comment acerbically on the decision of any citizen to say, I don’t like what is happening over there,” Soyinka recalled.
He expressed surprise at the backlash he received from some Nigerians, who criticised his decision to terminate his residency in the United States.
“To make that decision of mine your own business is a reflection of your slave mentality,” he said.
“There was one young man, a Nigerian, who even said God had ordained that Trump would triumph. Okay. That’s fine. But at least that particular person didn’t have to attack me for cutting up my Green Card.”
Soyinka shared another incident involving the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), where he resolved a tax issue after cutting up his Green Card.
“I went to the American Embassy in Nigeria. I said, Look at this wahala o. I have left your country. But now IRS says I owe this and that I must report. They gave me a B1 visa to go and answer their query in the States. I went and came back—tax matter sorted. But those slaves were still abusing me.”
He also recounted a trivial incident on a plane that sparked controversy when he mistakenly took someone’s seat.
“The incident in the plane which occupied some Nigerians for weeks, a trivial incident which happened because of my sitting in the wrong seat. And then somebody came along. That’s my seat, he said. I said, Wait, call the hostess. And the hostess said, He’s right. I said, Sorry, and I left the seat for him.”
Soyinka concluded by saying he was shocked at the reactions to these incidents, adding that Nigerians tend to blow minor events out of proportion.
