US Defends Revocation of Wole Soyinka’s Visa

The United States government has defended its decision to revoke the visa of Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, describing visa issuance as a privilege, not a right.

Responding to inquiries from *The PUNCH*, the US Consulate in Lagos said it could not discuss the details of Soyinka’s case for confidentiality reasons but emphasized that visas may be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of the US government.

“Under U.S. law, visa records are generally confidential. We will not discuss the details of this individual visa case,” said Julia McKay, Public Diplomacy Officer at the US Consulate General in Lagos. “Visas are a privilege, not a right. Every country, including the United States, can determine who enters its borders. Visas may be revoked at any time whenever circumstances warrant.”

Soyinka had on Tuesday announced the revocation of his B1/B2 visa during a media parley in Lagos. The 91-year-old writer told journalists at Freedom Park that the US Consulate General had informed him of the decision in a letter dated October 23, 2025.

“It is necessary for me to hold this press conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for events do not waste their time,” Soyinka said. “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.”

The celebrated author, who has often criticized US politics, said he was unaware of any wrongdoing that could have led to the revocation. He humorously recalled two minor incidents from decades ago — one involving an undeclared packet of green chilies at a Chicago airport and another confrontation with police in Atlanta in the 1970s — but dismissed both as unlikely reasons for the current decision.

According to the Consulate’s letter, Soyinka’s non-immigrant visa “has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in the U.S. Department of State regulations 22 CFR 41.122 and is no longer valid for application for entry into the United States.” The letter added that “additional information became available after the visa below was issued,” and requested Soyinka to return the visa for “physical cancellation.”

The Consulate advised that if Soyinka wished to travel to the US again, he would have to reapply and re-establish his qualifications for a new visa. The revoked visa had been issued on April 2, 2024, in Lagos.

Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, is one of Africa’s most respected literary figures and has spent years teaching in American universities. His visa revocation has reignited debate over the tightening of US travel policies, particularly those affecting African nationals.