Permit me to react briefly to what I see as strange and misplaced priority on the manner some people criticised Professor Wole Soyinka concerning his threat to shred his US Permanent Resident Card “Green Card” in the event that Donald Trump becomes American President.
The strange bit is that some Nigerians left the substance and are chasing shadow. No one seems to be concerned with what provoked the Nobel Laureate into such enraged outburst typical of Trump’s own temperament and personality. Rather, the argument is on whether the threat was gonna be carried out or not and that has become, sadly, more important to Nigerians! Now, what is the rationale for this? Is it to ridicule the Professor who had been at the forefront of the vanguard against injustices of all kinds including racism. What do we think his poem “Telephone Conversation was all about? Trump, suddenly became a non-issue in the ensuing narrative. Is this not rather strange?
The Nobel Laureate does not need America; rather it is America that needs him. He can afford to seek a visa to enter the US if need be. He is known and accepted worldwide. Why would anyone put as a priority, the shredding of Green Card over the fact that should infuriate any right thinking person that Trump, variously insulted humanity with impunity. It is not just Nigerians but blacks in general, women of repute, Latinos, Muslims to mention just a few. Would it be wrong literarily to be spontaneous and hyperbolic in the reaction to the Trump’s indecency and obstinacy? Unfortunately, the Professor seem to be getting more bashing while the original subject matter seems forgotten.
Now, let us ask, was Professor Soyinka attacked personally by Trump? No He attacked globalisation, he attacked political correctness; he attacked multi-racialism, he attacked feminism, and world order. The next question is that was the green card issued to Nigeria as a nation or to Professor Soyinka as an individual? If it is the latter, what then is the relationship between destroying it and protesting that the Nigerian nation among others was unduly insulted by Trump and that it is unacceptable? The green card is personal to the Professor. It is not American flag and does not carry the weight and significance that shredding or burning American flag would carry.
The green card is like an arsenal that the professor can use to make his voice and opinion heard right in the heart of America. We beg to differ and implore the professor not to destroy his instrument of warfare. He can be denied visa but can’t be denied entry with the green card as long as he is not a terrorist, but out to fight anyone who may be riding on the unfortunate wings of democracy to terrorise others.
As the vanguard of the oppressed, we implore Professor Wole Soyinka to use the green card to get into America before the swearing in ceremony, and join in the mobilisation of all Nigerians in the US, all blacks, all Muslims, all, women of integrity, all Latinos and all that have been at the receiving end of the Trump’s recklessness for an organised protest against Trump with a clear message to Barack Obama, and the American society that the elections are over but those outlandish remarks from Trump should be retracted because they are unacceptable and rather than make America Great, it will disintegrate America. And if there is anything to be shredded or burnt symbolically, it will not be the personal green card of Professor Wole Soyinka or that of anyone in the rally.
Hence what Nigerians and other affected groups all over the world should be doing right now is frantic mobilisation for this day all over America and beyond, rather than engaging in trivialities and irrelevances. To ignore the issue and focusing on green card shredding, is like fighting the effect in order to cure the cause. The Professor needs to be at the battle ground to activate this, and the world would queue behind him. After all, he crossed the Biafra line fearlessly when he should actually fear. The ever fearless Sahara reporters and other vanguards of the oppressed and marginalised, all over the world, must respond to this clarion call to a revolution. This is because if revolution arises from the just indignation of the people, it is a salutary weapon to social changes. Trump must be told that democracy is no liberty for institutional demolition, disintegration, discrimination, dis-unification, and disorientation. We live in a global world.
Comrade Jay Oguntuwase
Nottingham Trent University, UK
