Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has described former American President, Donald Trump as a menace, a danger to the world and a consummate liar.
Soyinka, in an interview with TheNEWS to mark his 90th birthday, Trump is not as clever as he thought he was.
Soyinka said Nigeria has had one consummate liar, but said he is just a copycat besides Trump.…CONTINUE READING
“We have had one here also in Nigeria, but he is just a copycat beside Donald Trump. 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.
“But he did one thing. He studied and he understood the American psyche. And he knew the right chord to tweak in order to get them on his side, to get them to believe anything that he says. I don’t think the world has ever known such a consummate liar like Donald Trump,” he said.
“And the one here who is trying to copy Trump has studied only a minuscule section of the Nigerian psyche and he was able to tweak certain sentiments, certain aspects of our history. 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 stated.
The Nobel laureate added that one thing shocked him but it also enabled him, making reference to his Green Card episode.
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“This reminds me of the Green Card episode in which I could not believe that there were people in this country -I should not have been surprised -who actually made it their business to come and comment acerbically on the decision of any citizen to say, I don’t like what is happening over there.
“Therefore, I want to terminate my relationship with that place. To make that decision of mine your own business, is a reflection of your slave mentality. There was one young man, a Nigerian, who even said God had ordained that 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 or saying I dared not do it. Even though I have written about it in Green Cards, Green Gods, it is still something I sometime wake up and puzzle over. Did it really happen?
“Did Nigeria, a free nation of free people with their history, with their supposed knowledge of what was happening elsewhere in the world, become so stupid they could not understand that even when Trump was campaigning, the killing, extra-judicial killing of blacks by the police shot up drastically, not even only by the police?
“And then I said, I don’t want to be a permanent resident of that place, and some Nigerians made it their business to abuse me for that? I cut up my Green Card on Thanksgiving Day in America, I was in Oakland, California. Thanksgiving was in November. Up till February of the following year, Nigerians were still saying I dared not cut it up!”
Soyinka added: “And it gave me enormous inner pleasure to say nothing. I said let them keep making slaves of themselves. They didn’t even know that in the meantime the IRS were taking their revenge as they decided to get their taxes. They said I owed close to $60,000. So, 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. Then I said, Could you give me a B1 visa? I had already cut up my Green Card. They had no problem: I got the visa. What was the problem with Nigerians?
“The country whose Green Card I tore didn’t have any problem. They gave me 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.”
Soyinka narrated another event which occurred in the plane when he mistakenly took over 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.
“This trip from Lagos to Abuja became a trip from Abuja to America in some of the write-ups (laughs) I said, What is this? Normally, I give up my seat to people in the plane if there is any need for it. Sometimes people come in, and they have been given separate seats. I look at them. I see them looking around anxiously.
“I say, Do you want to come and sit here? And they say, Yes, thank you. The most ordinary, banal thing in the world. When it comes to Nigeria, the Zone B people want to climb to Zone A to show their power, to show their stupidity. It’s something that boggles the mind,” he said.
-TheNews
Somebody who cannot talk about his Government back home is discussing world power. What an error. What are the contributions Professor has made at a time like this when Nigeria is almost upside down economically and otherwise. Wonders shall never end.
you are the biggest liar of all time, infact you are the goat of all liars. useless elder that can’t contribute to make the nation a better place for the generation to come
For you to say that the Prof. never contributed to the nation to make it a better place, speaks the height of your folly and illiteracy. Go back to school and properly learn, if you have no elder in your family who could, at least, relate history about Nigeria to you, or they are all ignoramuses? Save the efforts of a few individuals like him, Nigeria wouldn’t have been sustained. If your papa has contributed one over ten of his, then you could have been a freeborn, but sorry for you. You refused to learn, and you can never again in this life!
At 90, the great Prof is still waxing strong. Certainly, the slaves and their children will forever remain so, because they will reject all entreaties to leave the shackles. Prof, Nigerians are proud of you. The world stands still in your honour, as we wish you long life, and continued service to humanity. Kindly discountenance the sons of the gun to continue to sob.
Did anyone notice that this man said nothing about the excruciating economic pains Nigerians are experiencing? Because his friend is the president, he suddenly forgot his much vaunted principles. Pity !
You are a complete animal Wole. You never called the disaster plus menace you have here out, but a man sent by God to rescue his people. God will judge you
Other people went to abroad for studies and came back with creativity but this one came back with cultism that has led our young men to armed robbers and killers.
He has become a clown 🤡, at old age 😂
An elder State man referring his fellows as slaves…. hmmmmm,who made you a free born? you are here talking about Americans while your own country is sinking in corruption…..old man tell us about” tinubu” leave “Trump” for Americans…old man wey dey do “Apurokoo”Busybody”rubbish!!!
The great WS.
I agree with you professor Nigeria opposition is the real problem of the country but people don’t now.
Wole is a shit
I totally agree with you my dear. Wole Soyinka is a huge disgrace to this generation and speaks through the two sides of his mouth! Always supporting the highest bidder of his pocket- like supporting protests during Jonathan’s regime! But the law of karma is awaiting him and his cohorts!
Intellectuals have become worst monsters, and the people are no fools forever to take them as leaders anymore
Nonsense professor, professor of lies and bigotry. Talk about what is happening in Nigeira, you are not ashamed of yourself. You should be hiding your face by now, without making any sound. Coming to tell us who is good or bad. Coming to tell us who is a liar and a danger. You should consider yourself number 1 liar and Danger to the world. Nobel Laureate my foot.
This man telling all this lies there is God oh
When a big masquerade overstays on the stage, children are bound to throw stones at it. Prof should know when to stop.
Prof Soyinka has displayed more than enough ambivalence in the current issues facing his country. Very outspoken against minor issues of presidents outside of yoruba extraction but so mute and uncritical against unbearable hardship and starvation of Nigerians under the watch of his brother president of Yoruba origin. If you can’t talk about evils in your country because of ethnic bigotry, then which audacity do you have to comment on foreign issues where you don’t belong to or know its terrain properly?