Wole Soyinka Predicts US Visa Revocations, Confirms Green Card Surrender Amid Diplomatic Tensions

Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has revealed that he foresaw the mass revocation of visas and green cards by the United States. In an interview with BBC News Pidgin on Wednesday, Soyinka, whose US visa was recently canceled, said he had predicted that former President Donald Trump would target even green card holders once he assumed office.

Describing Trump as a “petty-minded dictator,” Soyinka criticized the former president’s hate rhetoric and policies, noting the rise in extrajudicial killings of minorities during his campaign and tenure. “I saw it and I said, when that man comes to power, the first thing he will do is cancel even the green cards,” he said.

Soyinka’s remarks come amid heightened tensions between Nigeria and the US after Trump designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” citing alleged Christian genocide, and warned of potential military intervention.

Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Soyinka had vowed to relinquish his green card if Trump assumed office—a promise he fulfilled. “I have already done it. I have disengaged and returned to Nigeria, my homeland,” the 91-year-old playwright said.

In July, the US State Department revised its visa policy for Nigerians, limiting most non-immigrant visas to single-entry with a three-month validity. Soyinka disclosed last week that his B1/B2 visa was formally revoked by the US Embassy in Lagos, which requested the physical cancellation of the visa—a request he dismissed as “a joke.”

While he remains unsure of the specific reason for the revocation, Soyinka emphasized that visas are a privilege, not a right, and said he left the US voluntarily rather than waiting to be expelled. “I like to kick myself out; it’s more dignified,” he remarked.

He also recounted receiving a tax audit notice from the US Internal Revenue Service after Trump took office, which he described as coincidental and handled without issue. Soyinka expressed no ill will toward American officials or citizens, praising the courtesy he experienced during his visits to the US Embassy.