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Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, on Monday in Lagos vowed to hold a
private funeral on January 20, the day the United States
President-elect, Donald Trump, will be sworn in.
A visibly angry Mr. Soyinka, who was speaking about the controversy
that arose over his threat to destroy his American Green Card following
the election of Mr. Trump, said the private wake will have nothing to do
with U.S. politics but would instead be to the death of common sense
among Nigerians.
“I’m going to hold a private wake on inauguration day not to mourn
the decision of Americans in the choice of president but to mourn the
death of Nigeria common sense,” he said.
Mr. Soyinka, who told the French news agency, AFP, in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday
that he had destroyed the card, said he was shocked that people were
asking him to present video evidence showing him destroying the card.
He said the commentaries generated, especially on social media, by
his threat to destroy his Green Card may force him to “Wolexit 2”.
“Wolexit” is a term coined by the literary luminary after the
“Brexit” referendum in the United Kingdom. Mr Soyinka had earlier used
the term to describe his decision to quit the U.S.
He, however, said he has not decided the nature the “Wolexit 2” may
take as it could either be internal (which would see him withdrawing to
his Abeokuta sanctuary, Ijegba), external, or mixed.
Describing the whole controversy as a “theatre of the absurd,” Mr.
Soyinka said he was puzzled that it was something even worth the fuss it
generated.
“I hope to leave here today with a little knowledge. I’m puzzled and I don’t know what the fuss is all about,” he said.
“Why do you wail more than the bereaved? I’m addressing these illiterates who feel they want to make themselves heard.”
He said destroying his Green Card was not the first time he had
undertaken such gesture to express his reservation over certain issues.
Mr. Soyinka narrated how he destroyed his national medal during a
protest at the Race Course (also known as Tafawa Balewa Square) in Lagos
during a protest he undertook with late Tai Solarin.
“I took out my national honour medal and I stamped on it. I could
have done something else but I would be accused of indecent exposure,”
he said.
“Trump is not really my problem. What really matters is the rhetoric that got him there especially against Nigerians.
“People react in their own ways and I don’t go fighting them for it.
Expression is not only by words but it (is) also be actions. When I take
such actions, I don’t want people on behalf of whom we took these
actions to express themselves in vulgar manner.
He particularly came hard of Nigerians making commentaries about his
threat to destroy his Green Card on social media, describing them as
“slugs”, “millipedes”, “imbeciles”, “Barbarians, and “blabbermouths”.
“Barbarians are taking the opportunity of the anonymity of the internet to take over the country
“What is the business of any stupid Nigerian to open his or her mouth
to challenge my right? Did you get the Green Card for me? The arrogance
of Nigerians is overwhelming. Where does this arrogance come from? What
right do they have to tell me that I have no right to take a decision
in a particular way? What right do they have? Who are you giving orders?
I didn’t take orders from Sani Abacha, what right do they have to give
me order?”
I shall move my residency out of Nigeria
Mr Soyinka subsequently said he has decided to move the Soyinka
foundation residency out of Nigeria as a response to the “unwarranted”
commentaries generated by the Green Card issue.
“I’m embarrassed that I’m occupying the same nation space with these
imbeciles. You have to deal with power and have to deal with those who
have to deal with power. Nigerians should realise how ridiculous they
make themselves. The Nigerian personal is gaining notoriety all over the
world. That is why Trump latched on the existing narrative.
“You want to see evidence? I will put it on Ogun shrine because I live on Ogun principles.
“Something has to give. There will be certain actions I might take or
refuse to take as a result of this. There has to be a significant event
on my side in response to the obscene and unwarranted attacks.
“I’m going to move the residency of my foundation out of the country.
I have already started it. It is my property. I am moving my foundation
out of Nigeria,” he said.
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PLEASE BE POLITE