Tuesday October 28, 2025
By TheNewsDESK |
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has confirmed that the United States government has revoked his visa, effectively barring him from entering the country for the time being, The PlatinumPost reported.
Soyinka made the disclosure during a media briefing at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, on Tuesday.
Expressing surprise over the development, the renowned playwright and activist stated that he was unaware of any misconduct or issue that could have led to the visa withdrawal.
“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. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”
The Nobel Laureate said he was notified by the US Consulate through a letter dated October 23, 2025, which formally announced the revocation of his visa.
“This letter serves as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the nonimmigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations,” part of the letter read.
According to Soyinka, the letter was issued by the Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Section of the Consulate, but it did not state the reason for the action.
Expressing bewilderment, he said, “I’m still looking into my past history… I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanour to qualify for the revocation.”
“I’ve started looking back, have I ever misbehaved toward the United States of America? Have I been convicted? Have I gone against the law anywhere?”
Soyinka, who holds a B1/B2 nonimmigrant visa for business and tourism, revealed that he initially thought the letter was fake, possibly sent by scammers.
“I thought it was advance-fee fraud because I had never received that kind of letter from any embassy,” he explained.
“I even thought maybe AI had generated a fake letter. It was very strange. But when I confirmed it was genuine, I was surprised because I’ve always had a respectful relationship with successive US ambassadors and consular officials.”
Earlier in September, multiple sources reported that Soyinka had declined an invitation from the US Consulate for a visa re-interview scheduled for September 11, 2025.
While the reason for the revocation remains unclear, Soyinka maintained that he had always respected international laws and diplomatic processes.
