Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has revealed that the United States government has revoked his visa, effectively barring him from entering the country for now.
Soyinka made the disclosure on Tuesday during a media briefing at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos. He said he was surprised by the development, as he was unaware of any offence or action that could have prompted the revocation.
“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,” he said. “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.”
According to the literary icon, the U.S. Consulate in Lagos officially notified him of the visa cancellation in a letter dated October 23, 2025. The document, issued by the Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Section of the Consulate, stated that his B1/B2 visa had been revoked under U.S. Department of State regulations.
Soyinka expressed confusion about the decision, stressing that he had no criminal record or history of misconduct that could justify such an action.
“I’m still looking into my past history,” he said. “I don’t have any criminal record or even a misdemeanour. I’ve been asking myself—have I ever misbehaved toward the United States? Have I broken any law anywhere?”
He also recounted how, in September, he received an invitation from the U.S. Consulate to appear for a visa re-interview but declined, thinking the message was either fake or a scam.
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“At first, I thought the letter was from scammers or generated by AI because I had never received such correspondence from any embassy before,” Soyinka explained. “By the time I confirmed it was genuine, I was still puzzled. I’ve always maintained a cordial relationship with U.S. diplomats and officials.”
Soyinka’s B1/B2 visa is a temporary, non-immigrant travel document issued for business and tourism purposes.
The reason for its revocation remains unclear, but the 89-year-old writer noted that he would continue to seek clarification while maintaining that he bore no grudge toward the U.S. government.
