A Nigerian man poet (now turned banker), Albashir Adam Alhassan, has said US President, Donald Trump mindlessly lifted a stanza from his poem titled: ‘Remember to Forget’ and claimed it was his favourite Irish proverb when he (Donald) met with Irish Prime Minister, Enda Kenny. Alhassan said this in an interview with CNN amid controversies and copyright issues that trailed Trump’s speech in Ireland ahead of St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Friday.
Trump, while addressing top Irish officials, had said: “As we stand together with our Irish friends, I’m reminded of that proverb – and this is a good one, this is one I like. I’ve heard it for many, many years and I love it.
“‘Always remember to forget the friends that proved untrue. But never forget to remember those that have stuck by you.’
“We know that, politically speaking. A lot of us know that, we know it well. It’s a great phrase,” Trump added.
But his reference left Irish literature lovers and media perplexed.
NEWSHUB reportedly carried out an investigation and uncovered that the source of Trump’s quote was a poem entitled ‘Remember to Forget’, written by a Nigerian, Albashir Adam Alhassan, and featured on Poem-Hunter in 2013.
Alhassan continued on CNN: “My sister just brought the news to me. I didn’t want to believe what she said initially,.
“I posted those things when I was back in school, over 10 years ago. I never thought it would get to this level.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have been a banker; maybe I should have been a poet all my life!” Alhassan added.
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