The United States government, under the administration of President Donald Trump, has revoked the non-immigrant visa of globally distinguished Nigerian author and Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
Soyinka announced the revocation himself, stating he was unaware of any wrongdoing that justified the decision. The move has prevented the highly regarded writer, a vocal critic of President Trump, from traveling to the U.S. for scheduled events.
Wole Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, is known internationally for his work as a playwright, poet, and political activist. He has previously held teaching positions at prestigious U.S. universities and was a permanent resident of the United States. His relationship with the current administration has been characterized by criticism.
Recall during Donald Trump’s first presidential election victory in 2016, Soyinka publicly destroyed his U.S. green card, fulfilling a pledge to renounce his permanent residency as a protest against Trump’s policies. Soyinka’s visa, which was a non-immigrant type (like a B1/B2 visa) issued during the previous administration, was recently canceled.
The visa revocation comes shortly after the author, following President Trump’s recent conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records, indicated he might reconsider his decision to stay away from the U.S. and potentially reapply for permanent residency.
The U.S. Consulate did not provide a specific public reason for the revocation, stating that only the U.S. State Department regulations that allow for a consular officer to revoke a nonimmigrant visa “at any time, in his or her discretion.”
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