Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has revealed that the United States has revoked his visa, effectively barring him from entering the country.Speaking at a media parley on Tuesday at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Soyinka said he was unaware of any wrongdoing that could have led to the decision.
“It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time. 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,” he said.
The reason for the revocation remains unclear, with Soyinka himself expressing confusion about the development. He said the U.S. Consulate informed him of the action in a letter dated October 23, 2025. “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as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the nonimmigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations,” the letter, issued by the Nonimmigrant Visa Section of the Consulate, stated.
Soyinka, 90, said he had no criminal record or history of misconduct that could justify the action. “I’m still looking into my past history… I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanour to qualify for the revocation,” he said. “I’ve started looking back — have I ever misbehaved toward the United States of America? Do I have a history? Have I been convicted? Have I gone against the law anywhere?”
Earlier media reports suggested that Soyinka declined an invitation from the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria to attend a visa re-interview scheduled for September 11, 2025. The invitation reportedly targeted holders of B1/B2 visas — temporary, non-immigrant visas issued for business (B-1) and tourism (B-2) purposes. Soyinka explained that he initially thought the revocation letter was a scam. “I thought it came from scammers who prey on those eager to get visas elsewhere. I even thought maybe AI had been generating generic letters. It was very strange,” he recounted. “But when I confirmed it was genuine, my mind went to my past relationships with ambassadors, Consuls General, and Cultural Attachés — it has always been a courteous relationship.”
Soyinka, who was seen as a quiet supporter of President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, has drawn mixed reactions over his political stance. While he frequently criticised Labour Party candidate Peter Obi and his supporters, he was largely silent on allegations of forgery and identity controversies surrounding Tinubu. As of now, the U.S. government has not given any official reason for revoking the Nobel laureate’s visa.
Source: https://thenicheng.com/
