Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, says the recent revocation of his United States visa may be connected to his outspoken criticism of the U.S. President, Donald Trump and his immigration policies.
He disclosed this on Tuesday, at a press briefing titled “Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface,” held at Freedom Park, Lagos.
He said he received an official letter from the United States Consulate General in Lagos, dated October 23, 2025, informing him of the cancellation of his nonimmigrant visa.
The letter read in part:
“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as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the nonimmigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations 22 CFR 41.122 and is no longer valid for application for entry into the United States.”
Soyinka, who expressed surprise over the decision, said he could not find any wrongdoing that might have warranted such action.
He speculated that it could be linked to his previous criticism of Trump, whom he once referred to as “Idi Amin in whiteface” in reaction to the former president’s controversial immigration policies.
“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
He said his planned trip to the United States was solely to resolve a tax audit issue with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), adding that it was intended to clarify his financial records and prevent any misinterpretation of his status as a “tax dodger.”
He recalled that he discarded his U.S. Green Card at a point following Trump’s election, citing moral objections to what he described as discriminatory immigration policies.
He added that apart from his public criticisms of those policies, he could not recall any other reason for the revocation.
A9sked if he intended to reapply for a visa, Soyinka responded that he had no such plans.
“How old am I? What am I going to do in the U.S.? I won’t take the initiative because there is nothing I am looking for there. I have contributed to the establishment of some institutions there. They owe me nothing, and I owe them nothing,” he said.
