Soyinka Cries Foul as U.S. Revokes His Visa

Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has revealed that the United States government has revoked his non-immigrant visa, effectively barring him from entering the country.

Soyinka made the disclosure during a media briefing titled “Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface!” held at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island. He suggested that the move might be a form of political witch-hunt linked to his criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies.

Confirming the revocation of his B1/B2 visa, typically issued for business and tourism, the celebrated writer stated:

> “I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”



Official Notification

Soyinka read excerpts from the official notification letter he received from the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, dated October 23, 2025. The letter stated that his visa had been revoked “pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations,” following “additional information” obtained after its issuance.

The revoked visa details were listed as follows:

Name: SOYINKA, WOLE

Date of Birth: 13 July 1934

Place of Birth: Nigeria

Visa Type: B1/B2

Date and Place of Issuance: 2 April 2024, Lagos


Soyinka’s Reaction

Expressing confusion over the decision, Soyinka said he was unaware of any misconduct that could have prompted such an action.

> “I’ve started looking into my past, have I ever misbehaved toward the United States? Do I have any criminal record or conviction? I don’t understand this at all,” he said.


Despite the incident, the Nobel laureate maintained that he bore no ill feelings toward the American people.

> “I will continue to welcome any American to my home if they have legitimate reasons to see me. I remain a global citizen and will keep speaking against racism and unjust policies, including those of Donald Trump,” he stated.

Soyinka added that he called the press briefing to inform U.S. organisers expecting him at upcoming events not to waste their time.

Earlier Visa Interview Dispute

The revocation followed an earlier controversy in September 2025, when Soyinka declined an invitation from the U.S. Consulate to attend a visa re-interview scheduled for September 11.

He initially dismissed the invitation as a possible scam, saying:

> “I thought it was from fraudsters who target people eager to obtain visas. I had never received such a letter from any embassy before, it was very strange.”


Upon learning that the letter was genuine, he still refused to attend, stating that he had no interest in “chasing visas” for countries he was not eager to visit. He also criticised the choice of September 11 for the interview, a date he said should be reserved for solemn reflection in the U.S., not bureaucratic activities.

> “It is a day of mourning, not a day to perpetuate ignoble motives,” he remarked.


Soyinka further compared the Trump administration’s policies to the tyranny of Uganda’s late dictator Idi Amin, saying he could not honour an invitation from a government led by a “white Idi Amin.”

It will be recalled that in December 2016, Soyinka publicly destroyed his U.S. Green Card after Donald Trump’s election victory, fulfilling a vow he made before the 2016 polls.