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Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, says the United States has revoked his visa.
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The 90-year-old writer disclosed that he is “banned” from entering the country.
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He insists he has no criminal record or wrongdoing to justify the decision.
Nobel Laureate and globally celebrated writer, Professor Wole Soyinka, has revealed that the United States of America has revoked his visa, effectively barring him from entering the country.
Soyinka made the disclosure during a media parley at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, on Tuesday, where he announced that he is still in shock over the development.
“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,” Soyinka told journalists.
“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,” he said.
Consulate’s Letter Dated October 23
According to the literary icon, the US Consulate in Lagos officially notified him of the revocation in a letter dated October 23, 2025.
Part of the letter, shown to reporters, read:
> “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as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the nonimmigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations.”
The notice, issued by the Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Section, did not state any specific reason for the action.
“I’ve Never Broken Any Law” — Soyinka
Expressing disbelief, Soyinka said he has been reflecting on whether he might have unknowingly violated any law.
“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,” he said.
“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?”
Previous Visa Controversy
It will be recalled that on September 10, 2025, Soyinka had declined an invitation from the US Consulate to attend a visa re-interview scheduled for the following day.
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The Consulate had recently issued invitations to Nigerians holding B1/B2 non-immigrant visas, requesting them to appear for what it termed a “visa interview.”
Soyinka’s visa, categorised as B1/B2, allows temporary entry into the US for business or tourism purposes.
‘I Thought It Was a Scam’
The Nobel Laureate further revealed that he initially dismissed the letter as fraudulent, believing it to be one of several scams targeting visa applicants.
“I thought it came from scammers who prey on those eager to get visas elsewhere. I even thought that maybe AI had been generating generic letters. It was very strange,” he added.
