Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has revealed that the United States of America has revoked his visa, effectively barring him from entering the country for now.
Speaking during a media parley at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, on Tuesday, Soyinka said he was shocked by the development, noting that he was unaware of any wrongdoing that could have prompted such action.
“It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for one event or another do not waste their time,” he stated.
“I have no visa; I am obviously banned from the United States. If you want to see me, you know where to find me.”
The literary icon said the U.S. Consulate informed him of the decision in a letter dated October 23, 2025, but offered no explanation for the revocation.
“This letter serves as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the nonimmigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations,” part of the letter, issued by the Consulate’s NIV Section, read.
Soyinka expressed confusion about the reason behind the move, saying he had no criminal history or record of misconduct that could justify it.
“I’ve been reflecting on my past—have I ever misbehaved toward the United States of America? Have I ever been convicted or gone against the law anywhere?” he asked rhetorically.
The U.S. government has recently intensified measures to control migration, though it remains unclear if this policy shift is related to Soyinka’s case.
Earlier, on September 10, 2025, PM News reported that Soyinka declined an invitation from the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria for a visa re-interview scheduled for September 11. The Consulate had sent similar invitations to Nigerians holding B1/B2 visas—temporary, non-immigrant visas for business (B1) and tourism (B2).
In that interview, Soyinka explained that he initially thought the revocation notice was a scam.
“At first, I believed the letter was fake—perhaps the work of scammers who target those desperate for visas. I even suspected it might have been generated by AI. It was very strange,” he said.
“When I finally confirmed its authenticity, I reflected on my long-standing, cordial relationship with American diplomats—ambassadors, Consuls General, and Cultural Attachés. It has always been one of mutual respect.”
Soyinka emphasized that the situation was not a personal issue but an unexpected bureaucratic development that left him puzzled.
0 Comments