By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Wole Soyinka |
LAGOS, Nigeria – In a dramatic turn of events, Nobel Prize-winning playwright Prof. Wole Soyinka has declared himself banned from the United States after the US Embassy in Lagos revoked his visa, a move that followed his refusal to attend a re-interview scheduled for the symbolic date of September 11.
The 91-year-old literary icon revealed the revocation during a media parley titled “Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface” at the Freedom Park in Lagos on Tuesday, stating he called the conference to inform collaborators in the US that he would not be attending planned events.
The saga began when the US Consulate summoned Soyinka for a visa re-interview on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Soyinka told journalists he found the date choice deeply unsettling, given its association with the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
“I didn’t like the date. Everybody knows what happened on that date, 9/11, many years ago, so it is rather unfortunate that they picked that date,” Soyinka explained. “So I said, ‘Sorry, I’m superstitious; I’m not coming on that day.’”
He later received a formal letter dated October 23, 2025, notifying him that his B1/B2 visa, originally issued in April 2024, had been revoked. The letter from the NIV Section cited that "additional information became available after the visa was issued" and demanded he bring his passport for "physical cancellation"—a request Soyinka met with humorous defiance.
When asked if he would seek to have his visa reinstated, Soyinka was unequivocal, framing the decision within the context of his long life and legacy.
“How old am I now? What am I looking for anywhere?” he stated. “I’ve given as much as I’ve taken from that place. They owe me nothing, and I owe them nothing.”
Despite the revocation, Soyinka was careful to distinguish between the US government and its people, noting his continued respect for American citizens, friends, and colleagues. He even shared details of a cordial conversation with the US Ambassador in Lagos, who offered a special appointment—an invitation Soyinka again declined.
“I said, ‘Shall I be equally frank with you? I’m not interested,’” he recounted.
Soyinka, a known critic of former US President Donald Trump, expressed bewilderment at what "additional information" could have led to the revocation. “I’ve started looking back—have I ever misbehaved toward the United States of America? Do I have a history?” he pondered.
The visa cancellation of such a prominent global figure is likely to spark fresh conversations about US visa policies, particularly regarding African intellectuals and critics. It highlights the often-opaque nature of visa revocation processes, where specific reasons are rarely disclosed.
For now, Soyinka’s message to America is clear. “It is necessary for me to hold this press conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me... do not waste their time,” he declared. “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."