The United States Consulate in Lagos has confirmed the revocation of the B1/B2 visa of Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, describing the move as a sovereign prerogative rather than a punitive measure. The development has ignited a wave of diplomatic and public discourse, with many questioning the rationale behind the decision and its broader implications for African intellectuals and global mobility.
“Visas are a privilege, not a right,” said Julia McKay, Public Diplomacy Officer at the US Consulate, in an email response to inquiries. “Every country, including the United States, can determine who enters its borders. Visas may be revoked at any time, at the discretion of the US government, whenever circumstances warrant.”
The 91-year-old playwright and activist disclosed the revocation during a media parley on Tuesday, held at Kongi’s Harvest, Freedom Park, Lagos. The event, themed “Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface,” was initially intended to reflect on political satire and historical memory. Instead, it became the stage for a personal revelation that has since dominated headlines.
“I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States,” Soyinka told journalists. “And if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”
According to Soyinka, the notification came via a letter dated 23 October 2025, from the US Consulate General in Lagos. The letter, signed by the Non-Immigrant Visa Section, cited US Department of State regulation 22 CFR 41.122, stating that “additional information became available after the visa was issued.” The letter also requested the physical return of the visa for cancellation.
“I found that humorous,” Soyinka quipped. “They requested that I bring the visa for physical cancellation. I asked if anyone here would like to volunteer to deliver it on my behalf.”
The visa in question had been issued on 2 April 2024, and its revocation has left the literary icon puzzled. “I’ve started looking back,” he said. “Have I ever misbehaved towards the United States of America? Do I have a history? Have I been convicted? Have I gone against the law anywhere?”
Soyinka recalled two minor incidents from decades past: a $25 fine for failing to declare green chillies at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and a confrontation with police in Atlanta in the 1970s over alleged racist behaviour by a hotel receptionist. “These are the only two crimes I can consider myself guilty of in all the decades I’ve been going to the United States,” he said, doubting either incident was relevant to the current action.
The revocation has stirred debate among scholars, diplomats, and civil society groups, many of whom view the move as emblematic of a broader tightening of US immigration policies. Analysts point to a growing trend of visa scrutiny, particularly targeting African nationals, amid Washington’s efforts to curb irregular migration and reassess global entry protocols.
Soyinka, who became the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, has held academic positions at several prestigious US institutions, including Harvard, Emory, and Cornell. His literary and political activism has earned him global acclaim—and, at times, controversy.
While the US Consulate has declined to provide further details, citing confidentiality under US law, the incident has raised questions about transparency, diplomatic courtesy, and the treatment of high-profile figures from the Global South.
For now, Soyinka remains grounded literally and figuratively. But his voice, as ever, remains unshaken. “It is necessary for me to hold this press conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time,” he said.
