Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, said yesterday that he might consider reapplying for his American Green Card which he destroyed in protest against Donald Trump’s emergence as American president.
His declaration followed the conviction of Trump in New York on Thursday on all 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Soyinka had made a show of his aversion to Trump’s emergence as the 45th U.S. President on January 20, 2017 by destroying his Green Card, the permanent resident card that allows one to live and work permanently in the United States.
In a statement reacting to the conviction of the former U.S. President, Soyinka said before people would start asking him, it was necessary to clarify that he might reapply for 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,” he said.
He described Trump’s conviction as “daybreak on a new democratic promise” for millions in anguished parts of the world, especially those in vast swathes of the African continent.
He said the warning is clear and that sooner or later the clamour for equity would break down the stoutest gates on guard across the citadel of impunity.
He said: “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.
“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.”
(The Nation)
