Overview
- Wole Soyinka displayed an Oct. 23 letter from the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos stating his non‑immigrant visa was revoked after “additional information” emerged.
- The letter invoked State Department regulations permitting officials to revoke a nonimmigrant visa at any time in their discretion and asked him to bring his passport for physical cancellation.
- Speaking in Lagos on Oct. 28, the 91‑year‑old Nobel laureate said he was “very content” with the decision, declaring, “I have no visa. I am banned.”
- Soyinka suggested the move may relate to his recent criticism of President Donald Trump, though U.S. officials declined to comment on individual cases, citing confidentiality.
- His visa was issued in 2024 under President Joe Biden and revoked after Trump’s return to office, a step reporters note aligns with broader revocations and tightened U.S. visa rules for Nigerians.