Nobel Laureate Wole soyinka’s U.S. Visa Revoked, author Cites Criticism of Trump
LAGOS, NIGERIA - Wole Soyinka, the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate and Nigeria‘s first recipient of the award, has had his non-resident U.S.visa revoked, he announced tuesday. Soyinka, 91, believes the revocation may stem from his recent public criticism of former President Donald Trump.
The visa revocation adds a new layer to soyinka’s long-standing relationship with the united States, where he previously taught and onc held a green card. The incident raises questions about the intersection of political expression and travel privileges, and underscores the broad discretion the U.S. government maintains over visa issuance and revocation.
Soyinka stated he was informed the visa was revoked due to ”additional data” becoming available after its issuance, but was not provided with specifics. He suspects the decision is linked to his comparison of Trump to idi Amin, the former Ugandan dictator. “It’s not about me, I’m not really interested in going back to the United States,” Soyinka told reporters, “But a principle is involved. Human beings deserve to be treated decently wherever they are.”
In 2017, Soyinka publicly protested Trump’s inauguration by destroying his U.S. green card, jokingly stating it had “an accident” involving a pair of scissors eight years prior.
The U.S.Consulate in Lagos referred inquiries to the State Department in Washington, D.C., which confirmed that visas are a privilege and can be revoked at any time. A spokesperson stated the department would not discuss the specifics of the case due to confidentiality laws, but reiterated that visa decisions are made based on evolving circumstances.
Soyinka concluded he would not reapply for a U.S. visa, stating, “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.”
