US Government Revokes Wole Soyinka’s Visa Over Anti-Trump Stance

The United States government has permanently revoked the visa of Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

Soyinka disclosed the development during a media parley held at the Freedom Park in Lagos on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, themed “Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface!”

According to Leadership newspaper, the literary icon revealed that he received an official letter from the US Consulate in Lagos on Thursday, October 23, notifying him of the revocation of his B1/B2 visa.

Reading the letter to journalists, Soyinka said:

“Dear Mr Soyinka, this letter serves as official notification of the United States Consulate that the non-immigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to Department of State Regulations 22 CFR 41.122 and is no longer valid for travel to the United States. Additional information became available after the visa was issued.”

The document listed his personal details and confirmed that the visa, issued in April 2024, had been officially cancelled.

Soyinka, however, maintained that he harbours no ill feelings toward the United States, despite what he described as a possible witch-hunt linked to his criticism of former US President Donald Trump’s policies.

“I will continue to welcome Americans to my home in Abeokuta,” he said. “As a global citizen, I will always speak against racism and any unjust government policy — including those of Trump.”

In 2016, Soyinka famously tore his US Green Card in protest after Trump’s election victory, a gesture that sparked global debate at the time.