In brief
Soyinka, 91, noted in a recent press conference that he was asked to surrender his passport to finalize the cancellation of his visa. He described the request as a curious invitation and stated he would not be returning to the US amidst his outspoken criticism of the former Trump administration. The visa situation appears linked to recent changes in U.S. immigration policies affecting several African nations.
Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has made headlines as he disclosed that the US government has revoked his visa and banned him from entering the country.
The 91-year-old playwright and author, recognized with a Nobel Prize for literature in 1986, reported that the US consulate instructed him to bring in his passport to effectuate the cancellation due to new unspecified information.
Describing the cancellation notice as a 'rather curious love letter from an embassy', he advised anyone planning to invite him to the US not to waste their time.
The US embassy, meanwhile, stated it could not comment on individual visa cases.
Previously holding permanent residency in America, Soyinka famously renounced his green card in 2016 by cutting it up in protest against the election of Donald Trump as President. He humorously remarked on Tuesday that his green card had 'fallen between the fingers of a pair of scissors'.
Known for his critical stance towards the Trump administration, Soyinka posited that his recent comparatives of Trump to the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin may be tied to his current visa predicament. When I called Donald Trump Idi Amin, I thought I was paying him a compliment, he remarked.
In light of recent adjustments to US immigration policy, which now limits non-immigrant visas for Nigerians and several other African nations to single-entry and three-month validity, Soyinka’s situation appears to reflect a broader trend impacting African citizens seeking entry into the US.
Given his age, when asked whether he would consider returning to the US, Soyinka replied, How old am I?
