Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has responded to claims by US President Donald Trump alleging a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, warning that such statements could inflame religious tensions in the country.
Speaking on Democracy Now, the renowned writer said Trump’s remarks oversimplify Nigeria’s complex security crisis and risk worsening divisions at a time when extremist groups continue to exploit religion for political and economic gain.
Soyinka insisted that the situation in Nigeria should not be interpreted as a direct conflict between Christians and Muslims.
“This Christian–Islam or Islam-versus-the-rest kind of dichotomy has existed for decades. It became truly horrendous when politics got mixed up with religious differences,” he said.
He argued that extremist networks have weaponised religion, and that successive governments failed to hold those responsible accountable, allowing a culture of impunity to persist.
Soyinka stressed that Nigeria’s long-running internal challenges cannot be reduced to a single religious narrative, calling for more responsible engagement and a deeper understanding of the roots of violence in the country.