Nigerian Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka's US Visa Revoked
Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian playwright and author who won the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature, has had his United States visa revoked.
The United States consulate in Lagos has revoked the visa of Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka, the Nobel laureate announced on Tuesday.
Soyinka, renowned for his plays and authors including winning the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature, expressed satisfaction with the revocation during a news conference.
He previously held permanent residency in the US but destroyed his green card following Donald Trump's election in 2016.
Known for his criticism of the current US President, who is now serving his second term, Soyinka speculated that his recent comparison of Trump to former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin may have triggered the action.
According to a letter from the consulate cited by Soyinka, the visa revocation was within the authority of consular officers due to US State Department regulations.
Soyinka humorously referred to the notice as 'a rather curious love letter from an embassy,' advising organizations not to attempt to invite him to the United States, stating he is now banned.
The Trump administration has made visa revocations a prominent part of its immigration policy, targeting outspoken individuals such as university students advocating for Palestinian rights.
The US embassy in Abuja did not respond to requests for comment.
Soyinka, a 91-year-old playwright behind works like 'Death and the King's Horseman,' has been honored at prestigious universities including Harvard and Cornell.
He has also published novels like 'Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth' satirizing corruption in Nigeria.
When asked about returning to the US, Soyinka humorously questioned his age but left open the possibility of accepting an invitation should circumstances change.
Soyinka, renowned for his plays and authors including winning the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature, expressed satisfaction with the revocation during a news conference.
He previously held permanent residency in the US but destroyed his green card following Donald Trump's election in 2016.
Known for his criticism of the current US President, who is now serving his second term, Soyinka speculated that his recent comparison of Trump to former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin may have triggered the action.
According to a letter from the consulate cited by Soyinka, the visa revocation was within the authority of consular officers due to US State Department regulations.
Soyinka humorously referred to the notice as 'a rather curious love letter from an embassy,' advising organizations not to attempt to invite him to the United States, stating he is now banned.
The Trump administration has made visa revocations a prominent part of its immigration policy, targeting outspoken individuals such as university students advocating for Palestinian rights.
The US embassy in Abuja did not respond to requests for comment.
Soyinka, a 91-year-old playwright behind works like 'Death and the King's Horseman,' has been honored at prestigious universities including Harvard and Cornell.
He has also published novels like 'Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth' satirizing corruption in Nigeria.
When asked about returning to the US, Soyinka humorously questioned his age but left open the possibility of accepting an invitation should circumstances change.
