USA Denies Visa to Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka

The US government has permanently revoked the visa of Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka. According to Leadership, Soyinka revealed this during a media event in Lagos on Tuesday, October 28. He mentioned that he received the visa revocation letter last Thursday, October 23, and felt as though he was being targeted due to his opposition to the policies of US President Donald Trump.

It is worth noting that in December 2016, the famous author, poet, and playwright destroyed his Green Card following Trump's election victory for his first term. At the media event held at Freedom Park, Lagos, themed ‘Unending Saga: Idi Amin In Whiteface!’, Soyinka, who currently lives in Nigeria, read the letter from the US Consulate in Lagos.

The letter states: "Dear Mr. Soyinka, this letter serves as official notification from the United States Consulate that the non-immigrant visa listed below has been revoked in accordance with the Department of State Regulations 22 CFR 41.122 and is no longer valid for entry into the United States. Additional information became available after the visa was issued. This revocation applies only to the visa listed below. Name of visa holder: SOYINKA, WOLE • Date and place of birth: 13-JUL-1934, NIGERIA • Visa classification(symbol): B1/B2 • Date and place of visa issuance: 02-APR-2024, Lagos," the letter partially read.

He expressed that he holds no resentment regarding this situation and will continue to welcome Americans to his home in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as he has no issues with the people or the country. He also stated that, as a global citizen, he will persist in speaking out against racism and what he perceives as wrong in government policies, including those of Donald Trump. photo Credit: Professor Wole Soyinka's Intagram page