By Ayomide Otitoju
Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has revealed that the United States government has revoked his visa, a move he described as unexpected and politically motivated.
Soyinka disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island.
According to him, the U.S. Consulate informed him of the decision in a letter dated October 23, 2025.
“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 Nobel Laureate said he was shocked by the revocation, noting that he was unaware of any violation that could justify the action.
Soyinka suggested that the decision may be linked to his outspoken criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies.
He recalled that he had publicly destroyed his U.S. green card in protest following Trump’s 2016 election victory. More recently, Soyinka said he declined a U.S. Consulate invitation for a visa re-interview in September 2025, describing the date as “inappropriate” because it coincided with the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
