The United States Consulate in Lagos has revoked the visa of Nigerian Nobel laureate and playwright Wole Soyinka, the literary icon confirmed at a press briefing on Tuesday.
“I want to assure the consulate that I am very content with the revocation of my visa,” Soyinka said, addressing journalists in Lagos.
The 91-year-old writer, who won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, is renowned for his plays and essays that explore themes of justice, power, and postcolonial identity. Among his most famous works is Death and the King’s Horseman.
Soyinka previously held permanent residency in the United States but destroyed his green card in protest after Donald Trump’s election in 2016. The acclaimed author has since been an outspoken critic of Trump, who is currently serving his second term as president.
Earlier this year, Soyinka revealed that the U.S. consulate in Lagos had invited him for an interview to re-assess his visa status. According to a letter from the consulate, which was seen by AFP, officials cited U.S. State Department regulations allowing a consular officer or authorized official to revoke a nonimmigrant visa “at any time, at his or her discretion.”
Reading the letter aloud to reporters, Soyinka explained that he had been asked to bring his passport to the consulate so that the visa could be formally cancelled.
Throughout his career, Soyinka has taught and received honors from prestigious U.S. universities, including Harvard and Cornell.
The Trump administration has made visa revocations a notable feature of its broader immigration policy, with reports indicating that outspoken academics and students — particularly those advocating for Palestinian rights — have been among those affected.
The U.S. Embassy in Abuja did not respond to AFP’s request for comment on the matter.
Please you can share your thoughts in the comment section and don’t forget to follow our page for more trending stories at the three horizontal lines on top right corner.
Thank you
Comments
Post a Comment