Nobel laureate and renowned playwright, Professor Wole Soyinka, has once again stated his deep concern over the political landscape of the United States under President Donald Trump, describing it as one of the ugliest developments in recent global affairs.
In a recent interview with freelance arts journalist Laura Collins-Hughes, published by The New York Times and titled “At 90, Wole Soyinka Revisits His Younger, More Optimistic Self,” Soyinka talked about the troubling state of American politics, especially under the watch of the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.
While expressing his disappointment, he said: “It’s one of the saddest developing phenomena that I know of. I just feel very, very sad that what’s happening in the States should be happening in such a potentially progressive country.”
Soyinka, who once lived in the U.S. while he was on self-imposed exile, was asked if he feels personally safe in the country, especially as many governments—including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada—have issued travel advisories to warn their citizens about visiting the United States over political tensions and rising violence.
He responded defiantly and said& “Oh, I’ve lived in a constant state of nonsafety. If I’m walking through the street and they pick me up, I have no problem whatsoever. You know, my laptop is where it is. It’s up in the clouds.”
Soyinka made global headlines in 2016 when he publicly vowed to vandalize his U.S. green card if Trump won the presidency. In an interview with The INTERVIEW magazine in 2916, he said, “Come January 20, 2017; watch my WOLEXIT!”—a witty play on the term “Brexit.”
He confirmed that he fulfilled his promise and discarded his residency permit, distancing himself from a political era he feels undermines global collaboration and human dignity.
Since Trump returned to the political scene, Soyinka has been vocal about the implications of the MAGA doctrine, particularly its isolationist policies and hard position on immigration. Trump has introduced sweeping tariff hikes, including a 14% duty on Nigerian exports to the U.S., citing Nigeria’s restrictions on 25 American goods.
For Soyinka, who has spent years as a global advocate for justice, democracy, and cultural dialogue, the eradication of these values in a country he once sought refuge in is painful.
