The victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race could jeopardize U.S. support in Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram, according to Nigerian Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka.

In an exclusive interview, Soyinka tells Newsweek that Trump’s “bunker mentality” could see the U.S. withdraw support for counter-terrorism operations in West Africa.

The Nigerian author and playwright also says that he will not destroy his U.S. residency permit just yet, despite a pre-election pledge to “cut” his green card, which is afforded to immigrants granted permanent residence in the country.

Trump, the Republican party candidate, shocked pollsters by defeating Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesday’s vote. The businessman and former reality television star secured victories in key swing states, capitalizing on an anti-establishment feeling among voters to win out against his more experienced rival.

Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group, launched an armed insurgency against the Nigerian government in 2009, killing thousands and displacing more than 2 million since then. The group also pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in 2015, though it has recently split into factions following the appointment in August of an ISIS-approved leader.

Under the administration of Barack Obama, the U.S. has provided financial support and military training to West African countries fighting Boko Haram. The U.S. provided $71 million worth of equipment, logistics and training to five countries—Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Benin—that together formed a joint task force in 2015 to fight the militants, according to a February fact sheet from the U.S. State Department.

Obama also approved the deployment of up to 300 U.S. military personnel to Cameroon in October 2015 to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region.

“One should expect that level of collaboration to diminish. Trump’s mentality is one of, ‘What are we doing there? What business do we have over there?’” says Soyinka, speaking to Newsweek from New York.

“I foresee Trump dismissing that kind of expectation offhand and closing in, shrinking, becoming smaller in terms of [the U.S.’s] presence in other parts of the world,” he says.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari extended his congratulations to Trump on Wednesday, saying that he looked forward to working with the president-elect “to build on and strengthen relations between Nigeria and the U.S.”

Trump had little to say about U.S. foreign policy towards Africa in general and Nigeria specifically during his presidential campaign. While he has vowed to pursue ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the Republican has made no mention of whether he intends to persist with or discontinue the country’s support for counter-terrorism efforts in West Africa. Newsweek contacted the Trump campaign for further comment but received no immediate reply.

An analysis by South Africa-based thinktank the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) suggested that Trump could become “the single most effective recruiting tool for terrorist organizations across the globe,” including in Africa. The ISS cited Trump’s hardline rhetoric towards Muslims, his advocation of the use of torture and expressed desire to target the families of militants all as potential factors in Trump being used by militant groups in recruitment drives. Trump’s campaign pledge to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S. has already been used in a propaganda video by Al-Shabab, a Somali militant group aligned with Al-Qaeda.

Soyinka is based between Nigeria and the U.S., where he is affiliated to several universities. In a recent discussion with students at the University of Oxford in the U.K., which was shared in a video on October 27, the author vowed to destroy his green card should Trump be declared the winner of the election.

Following the announcement of Trump’s victory on Wednesday, Nigerians took to social media to question Soyinka about whether he would honor his pledge.

The Nigerian author—who was the first African to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1986—says he is biding his time until Trump is inaugurated in January before deciding on his next steps.

“Why don’t we wait until Trump actually takes office?” says Soyinka. “I’m just going about my normal commitments, but definitely not getting into any more commitments. Let’s put it that way for now.”

Source: http://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-donald-trump-pull-us-boko-haram-fight-says-soyinka-518928

Trump we dey watch you!

Story. . U said u ll tear it.

Typical afonja. . Two faced

Say one do two

Rubbish!

Typical Afonja.

When the US denied Nigeria arms, stopped Israel from selling us arms, coerced Saudi Arabia to deny us access to fly our arms across their airspace, all under GEJ, was that the support the US gave to us?

How about the US stalling, and waiting for Oritsejafor to address Congress before designating BH as a terror group?

Always like changing history.

Or is it the paltry millions they gave to MNUTF or the scrap mine sweepers they donated to us that we should be happy about!

The US can shove it's support where the Sun does not shine.

We were doing fine with the T72 tanks from Russia, the South African mercenaries, and our gallant men, until they foisted a seni.le terrorist on us who released boko haram commanders in exchange for phantom Chibok girls. Today, we've lost gallant men like Col. Ali that expelled terrorists from Baga and the days of steady killing of our soldiers are back.

We know the silly game 'em Obamas and Clintons were playing. Trump may not be perfect, but we know he is no Obama or a Clinton. And that's a plus in our book.

We'd send these terrorists to the great beyond with or without their help. We've done it before. We'll do it again.

Their plan to demonize Trump over here has failed already. Obama foisted Buhari the failure. Both himself and Clinton are dead to us. As he leaves the White House, let him not use the Negro race to score cheap points. Because he failed Africa (from Nigeria to Libya to Egypt). He should align with his Muslim heritage. His name is Hussein, ain't that right?!

-Lord

Typical yoruba man betraying his own conscience since obatala died..... 2faced con art Men

Lies from the pits of help ..the only thing expected to happen is the sudden disappearance of ISIS and Boko Haram due to lack of funding as result of the absence of the patron Mrs Hillary ..the end of Islamic terrorism has come as I don't see the CIA under Trump funding them any further

Silly old fool

Who takes this Marxist serious?

This guys is total loser. Let this bozo tear his green card instead of being a coward.

why can't this senile old fool be quiet for once

Trump has pledged from day one to destroy ISis.

it is a pity that Nigeria can't destroy a ragtag illiterate filled boko haram for years.

Which fight is US fighting in Nigeria and these boko boys have been killing our soldiers?

[/b]"The Nigerian author and playwright also says that he will not destroy his U.S. residency permit just yet, despite a pre-election pledge to “cut” his green card, which is afforded to immigrants granted permanent residence in the country."[b] This man is a glorified idiot I swear.He should be striped of his professorship.

Was USA helping before?

Though learnered, he has equally shown his afonjaism.


Your folks from wild good for nothing west in Nigeria are all over here in Niaraland screaming how Trump has no effect and influence in Nigeria. I wonder what you are talking about.



Whom has Obama's support helped ?




Queue in to his wipe all terrorist out or forget about the nonsense information gathering approach that has seen terrorists grow from strength to strength.


Afonjas and Arewa pannicking cos of Trump.




One thing with this afonjas is that they don't say the truth about their fears for something but would rather argue against benefits that tning will bring to you.


They don't discuss their fears about Biafra, but will form all lies to say how Biafra is not needed or not tainable.

Now Trump, they won't discuss their fears about Trump and why they wanted Clinton, but they'v all been singing choruses of how would Trump benefit Easterners.



Their fears will consume them someday.

I don't understand the kind of fight they have been fighting for Nigeria

how will Trump's Victory aid me?... nonsense

They should withdraw. Has there been any positive outcome from all the supports they've given to us in the fight against BH?

Yeye bloggers

somebody will say ole soyinka is greater than chinua achebe

Yoruba Muslim will call Trump a failure, he will do this and that even when he hasn't entered the white house.

But they will want to behead you if you criticize Buhari after one year in office saying it's too little a time.

In the post there's nowhere Trump said that.
Besides the US military isn't involved in the fight against Boko haram.
Successes recorded so far have all been the hard work of our boys in the military.

I think Prof. Whole Soyinka would do well to keep quiet now and stop digging himself deeper in the grave like TB Joshua.

ikennaf1:
Yoruba Muslim will call Trump a failure, he will do this and that even when he hasn't entered the white house.

But they will want to behead you if you criticize Buhari after one year in office saying it's too little a time.

And what will Igbo Moslems call Trump?

They should end what they started. Useless Democrats.

Did the help America give us in finding the chibok girls yield any result? Afonjas can talk nonsense sha. See how Soyinka is sounding like a common nairaland Afonja

Try saying Trump and see

All of you insulting Prof. Soyinka should take a chill pill, we all have our political differences, I supported Trump (even though its none of my business) but I cant insult Soyinka, none of you can stand where Prof stands

PaulIdu:
Lies from the pits of help ..the only thing expected to happen is the sudden disappearance of ISIS and Boko Haram due to lack of funding as result of the absence of the patron Mrs Hillary ..the end of Islamic terrorism has come as I don't see the CIA under Trump funding them any further

as much as this might be true. Remember that cabals are always around. All presidents are JUST representative of cabals and not the masses. Cabals rule countries and not the presidents and terrorism is a multitrillion dollar business.

Ioannes:
In the post there's nowhere Trump said that.
Besides the US military isn't involved in the fight against Boko haram.
Successes recorded so far have all been the hard work of our boys in the military.

I think Prof. Whole Soyinka would do well to keep quiet now and stop digging himself deeper in the grave like TB Joshua.

If i tell you say i no taya na lie.

Campaign after election

Old age dey affect this man.

Bbvv