Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, the first African recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, has announced that the United States has revoked his non-immigrant visa. The 91-year-old author and playwright revealed during a press conference in Lagos that he received a letter from the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria, requesting him to submit his passport for the physical cancellation of his visa. The letter, dated October 23, cited U.S. regulations allowing the revocation of a visa due to “additional information” that became available after the visa was issued, but did not specify what that information was.
Soyinka, who has taught at various U.S. universities for over three decades, humorously described the consulate’s request as a “love letter” and joked that he was too busy to comply, inviting volunteers to deliver the passport on his behalf. He confirmed that he no longer holds his U.S. green card, which he had famously destroyed in 2017 as a protest against former President Donald Trump’s election.
He believes the visa revocation may be connected to his outspoken criticism of Donald Trump. Soyinka publicly referred to Trump as a “white version of Idi Amin,” drawing a parallel between Trump and the notorious Ugandan dictator known for his oppressive regime. Soyinka remarked that his comments might not have been taken lightly and suggested that his vocal stance against Trump’s policies could have contributed to the visa cancellation.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has not commented on this visa matter, referring all inquiries to the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. Soyinka stated firmly that he is “banned” from the United States and said those intending to invite him to events there should not waste their efforts. Nonetheless, he remains undeterred and humorously noted that anyone wanting to see him knows where to find him.
