Nobel laureate and playwright, Professor Wole Soyinka has revealed that the United States has revoked his visa, preventing him from entering the country and curtailing some of the privileges that come with his international recognition.
- Nigerian Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka’s U.S. visa has been revoked, preventing his entry into the United States.
- The U.S. Consulate cited unspecified newly available information for the revocation, requesting Soyinka’s passport for visa cancellation.
- Soyinka had previously declined a U.S. Consulate invitation for a visa reinterview scheduled on 9/11, criticizing the timing and purpose.
- Soyinka expressed no intention of reapplying for a U.S. visa, highlighting his continued commitment to human rights and free discourse.
Speaking at a media briefing at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, his residence in Lagos, Nigeria, Soyinka said he was unaware of any action that could have prompted the visa revocation.
“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 told reporters.
He shared a copy of a letter from the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos instructing him to bring his passport for the physical cancellation of the visa.
Dated October 23, 2025, the letter stated that “additional information became available” after the visa was issued.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Visa Reinterview Controversy
In September, Soyinka declined an invitation from the U.S. Consulate for a visa reinterview scheduled for September 11, describing the request as “strange and bizarre.” The invitation targeted Nigerians holding B1/B2 visas, asking them to appear for a so-called visa interview.
“At first, I thought it was advance-fee fraud because I had never received that kind of letter from any embassy. I even thought that maybe AI had been generating generic letters,” Soyinka said.
He also criticised the date of the proposed interview, September 11, calling it a day of global significance and reflection. “To me, 9/11 should be regarded as a day of national mourning, of atonement by the Consulate of the United States. They should close down offices on that day, not to keep inviting people to come and have their visas taken away,” he said.
Policy Background
Soyinka’s visa was classified as B1/B2, a temporary, non-immigrant visa for business or tourism. In July, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria announced that Nigerians seeking non-immigrant visas would now receive single-entry, three-month permits, replacing the previous up-to-five-year multiple-entry visas.
Soyinka’s Stance
Wole Soyinka, who served as Goldwin Smith Professor of African Studies and Theatre Arts at Cornell University, emphasized that he has no plans to reapply for a U.S. visa.
In 2016, he renounced his U.S. green card in protest against the election of Donald Trump and has since remained a vocal critic of American policies.
Commenting on the recent visa revocation, Soyinka said, “If individuals wish to see me, they know where to find me,” reaffirming his commitment to human rights and political advocacy, regardless of his visa status.
