Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka says the United States has revoked his visa and told him not to travel. The 91-year-old author said the US consulate asked him to bring in his passport so staff could cancel the visa in person, citing new information that officials did not disclose. At a news conference on Tuesday he described the invitation as a “rather curious love letter from an embassy” and advised institutions that had hoped to host him in the US “not to waste their time.”
“Borders shift. Voices endure.”
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What we know
The US embassy in Nigeria declined to comment on an individual case, which is standard practice. Soyinka said he now has “no visa” and is “banned.” He linked the decision to his long record of criticism of former President Donald Trump, noting he recently compared Trump to “Idi Amin in white face.” He also recalled that he renounced his US permanent residency in 2016, cutting up his green card after Trump’s election. For three decades he has taken up visiting posts at American universities, and the change could affect planned lectures and festivals.
Soyinka’s remarks sit inside a wider policy shift. In July the US State Department tightened non-immigrant visa rules for citizens of Nigeria and several African countries, moving most categories to single-entry visas valid for three months, a step back from the multi-year, multiple-entry privileges many travelers previously relied on. The embassy did not tie Soyinka’s case to that policy, and there is no official explanation on record beyond his account.
What Happening
The author framed the episode as a free speech question. He argued that sharp words about political leaders should not trigger travel penalties and joked about his age when asked whether he would try to return. He did not present documentary proof of the cancellation beyond his own statements, and he did not share the consulate letter, so key details remain unverified in public. Still, the claim will spur debate in literary and academic circles that depend on cross-border movement.
There is also a practical side. If the visa was revoked under a discretionary authority, the path back could involve a fresh application, a waiver, or a formal clarification from Washington, none of which are guaranteed. For Nigerian readers the story will resonate beyond one famous name, since the newer visa rules already make travel planning harder for scholars, artists, and students who enter and exit the US for short-term work.
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For now the public record is simple. Soyinka says his visa is gone. US officials are not talking. Event organizers who hoped to host him in the coming months will be weighing alternatives, including virtual appearances or venues outside the United States. If an appeal or clarification emerges, that will provide the first solid test of whether this is a one-off case tied to security vetting or an example of a colder climate for outspoken critics seeking to enter the country.
