Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has revealed that the United States of America has revoked his visa, preventing him from entering the country at the moment.
Okay News reports that Soyinka made this known during a media briefing held at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, on Tuesday.
The renowned playwright expressed surprise at the development, saying he was unaware of any reason that could have warranted such action by the US government.
“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.
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,” Soyinka said.
The reason for the visa withdrawal remains unclear. Soyinka explained that he received an official notification from the US Consulate in Lagos on October 23, 2025, informing him of the revocation.
The letter, issued by the Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Section of the Consulate, stated that the decision was made under the authority of the US Department of State regulations.
In his words:
“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as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the nonimmigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations.”
Soyinka said he was still trying to understand the reasons behind the decision, insisting that he has no record of criminal conduct or any act that could justify the revocation.
“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? Do I have a history? Have I been convicted? Have I gone against the law anywhere?” he queried.
The literary icon recalled that in September, he had declined an invitation from the US Consulate to attend a visa re-interview session. According to him, he initially thought the invitation was a scam or a case of mistaken identity.
“At first, I thought it was advance-fee fraud because I had never received that kind of letter from any embassy. I even thought that maybe AI had been generating generic letters. It was very strange.
So, by the time I came to terms with the fact that the letter was genuine, my mind went to my relationship with individual ambassadors, Consuls General, and Cultural Attachés. As you know, it has always been a courteous relationship,” Soyinka said.
Soyinka’s visa, classified as B1/B2, allows temporary visits to the US for business or tourism. The incident has sparked public reactions, with many Nigerians expressing surprise and seeking clarification from US authorities.
