The United States government under former President Donald Trump has reportedly revoked the visa of Nigeria’s Nobel laureate and world-renowned writer, Professor Wole Soyinka.
Speaking at a media briefing held at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, on Tuesday, Soyinka confirmed that his U.S. visa had been canceled. The respected playwright and poet says he is unaware of any wrongdoing that could have led to the decision.
> “It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for one event or another do not waste their time. 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,” Soyinka said.
According to him, the U.S. Consulate informed him of the visa revocation through a formal letter. The 89-year-old writer adds that he is still trying to understand the reasons behind the move, stressing that he has no criminal record or history of misconduct.
The news has surprised many, given Soyinka’s long-standing relationship with the United States, where he has taught at several universities and taken part in international events. As of press time, neither the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria nor the State Department has issued an official statement on the matter.
Mediaplusng.com recalls that in 2016, Soyinka vowed to destroy his U.S. green card if Donald Trump won the presidential election. While speaking at Oxford University, he warned that Trump’s victory could lead to strict immigration policies. “If in the unlikely event he does win, the first thing he’ll do is to say all green-card holders must reapply to come back into the U.S. Well, I’m not waiting for that. The moment they announce his victory, I will cut my green card myself and start packing up,” he said.
Mediaplusng.com will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.
