Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has disclosed that the United States government has revoked his visa, effectively barring him from entering the country.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lagos, the literary icon said he was informed of the decision through official communication from U.S. authorities, though no specific reason was given for the revocation.
Soyinka, however, hinted that the move may be connected to his previous criticism of former U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he once famously described as “the white version of Idi Amin.”
“I suspect my remarks about the former president may have something to do with it,” Soyinka told journalists. “But I hold no animosity toward the American people. My concern is with the growing hostility and double standards that now define the U.S. government’s posture toward Africans and immigrants.”
The Nobel Laureate, who has long maintained deep ties with the United States through teaching and literary engagements, said the development reflects a worrying trend of political intolerance and shifting immigration attitudes in Western democracies.
He called for greater respect for free expression and equitable treatment of Africans in international relations, emphasizing that “criticism of leadership should never be grounds for punitive action.”
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has yet to comment on the matter.
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