LAGOS, Nigeria (FN) — Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka said the United States has revoked his visa, a move that coincides with new visa restrictions affecting Nigerian citizens.
Soyinka, 91, told reporters in Lagos that he received a letter from the U.S. Consulate on Oct. 23 notifying him that his non-immigrant visa had been permanently canceled. He said he was unaware of any specific reason for the action but acknowledged ignoring a prior invitation to attend a visa revalidation interview.
“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,” Soyinka said. “I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States.”
The U.S. Embassy cited Section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows consular officers to revoke visas at any time. The revocation comes amid new U.S. visa rules for Nigerians, reducing visa validity from five years to three months and limiting travelers to single-entry permits.
Soyinka, who tore up his U.S. green card in 2016 in protest of then-President Donald Trump’s policies, had been traveling to the U.S. on a B1/B2 visa.
The announcement has sparked reactions from public figures and civil society. Activist Omoyele Sowore described the revocation as “sad,” adding that Soyinka’s treatment was “disrespectful to a global icon of literature and conscience.”
Nigerian social commentator Japheth Omojuwa called the move “unfortunate,” saying it raised questions about the consistency and transparency of U.S. visa policy. “If someone of Soyinka’s stature can be banned without explanation, what hope is there for ordinary Nigerians?” he said.
The incident has fueled speculation about a broader shift in U.S. immigration policy toward Nigeria. Soyinka suggested the action may be politically motivated, though no official explanation has been provided.
“I am not going to beg for a visa,” Soyinka said. “If they don’t want me, that’s their prerogative. But I will not be silenced.”
