Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka announced on Tuesday that the United States had revoked his visa and banned him from the country. This follows his 2016 renunciation of his US permanent residency (green card) in protest against Donald Trump's election. The US embassy in Nigeria has stated it cannot comment on individual cases.
Visa Revocation Claim
Wole Soyinka, a 91-year-old author and 1986 Nobel Prize winner for literature, stated the US consulate requested he bring in his passport for visa cancellation, citing "new unspecified information." He informed organizations wishing to invite him to the US "not to waste their time," referring to the consulate's invitation as a "rather curious love letter." Soyinka explicitly stated, "I have no visa. I am banned."
Previous US Residency and Protest
Soyinka previously held permanent residency in the US. In 2016, he renounced his green card, a US permanent residence permit, in protest of Donald Trump's election. He confirmed on Tuesday that he no longer possessed his green card, adding it had been cut into pieces by scissors. For the past three decades, Soyinka has held regular teaching engagements at US universities.
Soyinka's Stated Reasons and Criticism
Soyinka has been critical of the Trump administration. He suggested his previous comparison of Donald Trump to Uganda's former dictator, Idi Amin – referring to him as "Idi Amin in white face" – may have contributed to the visa revocation. Soyinka commented, "When I called Donald Trump Idi Amin, I thought I was paying him a compliment... he's been behaving like a dictator." Idi Amin, a Ugandan military officer, ruled Uganda as a dictator from 1971 to 1979, known for his regime and human rights abuses. When asked about returning to the US, Soyinka responded with "How old am I?"
US Visa Policy Changes for African Nations
In July, the US State Department announced changes to its non-immigrant visa policy for citizens of Nigeria and several other African countries. The updated policy dictates that nearly all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas for nationals of Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Ghana would now be single-entry and valid for three months. This policy adjusted previous regulations that allowed for multiple-entry visas valid for up to five years for these nations.