Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has faulted recent remarks by United States President Donald Trump, who classified Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians.
He warned that such sweeping statements distort reality and risk deepening religious divisions.
Trump had, earlier this month, threatened possible military action against Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians by radical Islamists.
The Federal Government dismissed the claim, insisting that insecurity in Nigeria affects citizens of all faiths.
In an interview with Democracy Now, Soyinka said the country’s crisis should not be mistaken for a war between Christians and Muslims, but rather seen as a struggle against extremist groups that have weaponised religion for political and economic gain.
“We must separate Nigeria’s long-standing internal problems from President Trump’s recent response. The Christian–Islam, or Islam-versus-the-rest dichotomy has existed for decades. It became truly horrendous when politics got mixed up with religious differences,” Soyinka said.
He accused successive leaders of exploiting religion for power and failing to hold extremists accountable, which allowed impunity to thrive.
Citing the brutal lynching of a student accused of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad, Soyinka lamented that her killers went unpunished despite being caught on video.
“When perpetrators of such horrors go free, it strengthens the perception that a brutal war is going on between Christians and Muslims. In truth, we are dealing with extremists – political Islamists, sometimes known as ISWAP or Boko Haram – not with Muslims as a people,” he noted.
The Nobel laureate said extremist groups had formed alliances with global terrorist networks and accessed sophisticated weapons that sometimes overwhelm the Nigerian military. He blamed past leaders for failing to decisively confront violent fundamentalism.
“When we have sweeping statements like Trump’s, it doesn’t make things easier. It expands regions of hostility and makes peaceful resolution even more difficult,” he said.
On the reported revocation of his U.S. visa, Soyinka said it stemmed from his criticism of Trump’s administration.
“I have a feeling that I haven’t been flattering Donald Trump — and I see no reason to do that,” he said, adding that Trump should feel “flattered” by his earlier comparison of him to former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.