Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has dismissed claims by former United States President, Donald Trump, alleging that Christians in Nigeria are being persecuted, insisting that the nation’s security challenges stem from extremism rather than religious hostilities.
Trump had recently ordered the U.S. Department of Defence to prepare for “possible action” in Nigeria, alleging widespread killings of Christians and urging the Nigerian government to act swiftly.
However, Soyinka, in an interview with Democracy Now, faulted Trump’s remarks, saying such sweeping generalisations distort the reality of Nigeria’s internal conflicts and could further inflame sectarian sentiments.
“The situation should not be viewed as a Christian-versus-Muslim war,” Soyinka said. “It is a struggle against extremist groups that have weaponised religion for political and economic gain. We must separate Nigeria’s deep-rooted internal issues from President Trump’s simplistic and provocative statements.”
He explained that the nation’s religious divisions became dangerous when political interests began exploiting faith differences for power and influence.
“The Christian–Islamic dichotomy has always existed, but it became truly horrendous when politics got mixed up with religious differences,” the Nobel laureate noted.
Soyinka lamented that the failure of political leaders to prosecute those responsible for religiously motivated violence has emboldened extremist groups.
He recalled the brutal killing of a student accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad, pointing out that the perpetrators, who were seen in a viral video boasting about the act, were never punished.
“When those responsible for such horrors go free, it reinforces the wrong perception that a religious war is underway,” he said. “In truth, we are confronting extremists — not Muslims as a people, but political Islamists under various guises, such as Boko Haram and ISWAP.”
The playwright warned that extremist groups have forged ties with global terrorist organisations, giving them access to advanced weapons and training that often overwhelm local security forces.
He also blamed Nigeria’s successive governments for failing to act decisively against violent fundamentalism.
“When we have sweeping statements like Trump’s, it doesn’t make things easier,” Soyinka added. “It widens the zones of hostility and makes peaceful resolution even more difficult.”
On his strained relationship with the former U.S. leader, Soyinka revealed that his visa was once revoked due to his public criticism of the Trump administration.
“I have a feeling I haven’t been flattering Donald Trump — and I see no reason to do that,” he said, adding jokingly that Trump should be “flattered” by his past comparison to Uganda’s former dictator, Idi Amin.
“Trump said he likes war. Idi Amin was a man of war and brutality. He even called himself the last king of Scotland. Perhaps that’s where the resemblance begins and ends,” Soyinka quipped.
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