Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, reacting to former United States President Donald Trump’s conviction, hinted that he might seek the restoration of his Permanent Residence, commonly known as the Green Card.
In a statement released to newsmen on Friday, May 31, 2024, Soyinka commented on the broader implications of Trump’s conviction. “For millions in anguished parts of the world, certainly for us in vast swathes of the African continent, this is daybreak on a new democratic promise,” he stated.
Soyinka’s statement, titled “The Trump Verdict,” further elaborated: “The warning is clear, sooner or later, the clamour of equity breaks down the stoutest gates on guard across the citadel of impunity. The Trump debacle is a challenge also, a call to preparedness and steadfastness. Installed and putative fascisms—secular, military, or theocratic—will extract from this only the wrong lessons, batten down and ‘crack down’ in self-protection.
“It is ‘Not yet Uhuru,’ not anywhere close for humanity in our global village. Nonetheless, a celebration, albeit in a minor key, is justified.”
Addressing the potential restoration of his Green Card, “Seeing that this trite, personal gesture attracted such inordinate attention at the time, let me answer the question before it is asked: Yes, I may choose to apply for restoration of my card of Permanent Residence, known as the Green Card. Possibly,” Soyinka added.
