Lagos, Nigeria — Professor Wole Soyinka, the esteemed Nigerian playwright and Nobel Laureate, has expressed profound dismay after his non-resident visa application for entry into the United States was rejected, claiming the refusal is directly attributable to his recent public criticism of President Donald Trump.
The 91-year-old author, who made history in 1986 as the first African to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, disclosed the development to journalists, asserting that the issue transcends his personal travel plans and touches upon matters of principle and diplomatic conduct.
The official correspondence received by the Professor cited that “additional information became available after the visa was issued” as the reason for its revocation. However, the document offered no further details or clarification as to the nature of this purported new information.
Professor Soyinka remains convinced of the underlying motive. He recently drew global attention for describing President Trump as a “white version of Idi Amin,” a searing comparison to the Ugandan dictator whose reign was marked by intense brutality from 1971 to 1979.
A Matter of Principle
Speaking with characteristic defiance, Professor Soyinka stated he was not interested in reapplying for entry but stressed the broader implication of the decision.
“It’s not about me, I’m not really interested in going back to the United States,” he explained. “But a principle is involved. Human beings deserve to be treated decently wherever they are.”
The writer possesses a long history with the United States, having previously held a Green Card and lectured extensively at prestigious institutions. He wryly referenced his past relationship with US immigration, jesting that his Green Card “had an accident” approximately eight years ago and “fell between a pair of scissors.” This is a nod to his well-publicised protest in 2017, when he destroyed the document following President Trump’s first inauguration.
Regarding the official notification of his rejection, which he jokingly referred to as a “love letter,” the laureate remained resolute.
“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,” he declared, indicating he would not submit a further application.
The US consulate in Lagos, the commercial hub of Nigeria, offered no immediate comment on the matter, directing all press enquiries to the State Department press office in Washington D.C., which similarly failed to respond to immediate requests for clarification. The move against a figure of Professor Soyinka’s global standing is certain to reignite scrutiny regarding the nexus between political criticism and immigration policy.
