Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has revealed that the United States government has revoked his visa, leaving him unable to enter the country for now.
Soyinka made the disclosure during a media chat on Tuesday at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery in Freedom Park, Lagos Island, where he said he was taken aback by the decision and had no idea what might have prompted it.
“I felt it was necessary to hold this briefing so that people in the U.S. expecting me at different events don’t waste their time,” he said. “I have no visa. I’ve effectively been banned from entering the United States. So if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”
According to Soyinka, the U.S. Consulate in Lagos informed him of the decision in a letter dated October 23, 2025, which officially notified him that his nonimmigrant visa had been revoked under U.S. Department of State regulations.
The letter, signed by the Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Section of the Consulate, did not state a specific reason for the action — a detail Soyinka said continues to puzzle him.
“I’m still looking back at my records,” he said. “I’ve never had any criminal case, no felony, not even a misdemeanor. I can’t recall ever breaking any law — in the U.S. or anywhere else. So I truly don’t understand this.”
Soyinka explained that his past interactions with U.S. diplomats had always been professional and cordial, making the visa revocation even more surprising.
This development comes weeks after PM News reported on September 10, 2025, that Soyinka had declined to attend a visa re-interview requested by the U.S. Consulate. The invitation had been sent to several Nigerians holding B1/B2 visas, which are temporary, non-immigrant visas for business and tourism.
At the time, Soyinka told the outlet that he initially thought the notice was fake.
“When I first received the letter, I thought it was a scam — maybe some kind of advance-fee fraud or AI-generated fake,” he recalled. “I couldn’t believe the embassy would send something like that. But when I confirmed it was genuine, I was shocked.”
Despite the setback, the 89-year-old literary icon said he bears no ill will toward the United States but intends to seek clarification on what led to the revocation.
“For me, this isn’t a personal issue,” he added. “It’s just very strange. I’ve always had a respectful relationship with American officials, and I hope to understand what went wrong.”
