Nobel Prize-winning author and playwright Professor Wole Soyinka announced today that the United States has permanently revoked his visa, in what appears to be retaliation for his outspoken criticism of President Trump’s policies.
KEY DETAILS:
Soyinka received the revocation letter on October 23, 2025
He publicly disclosed this at a media conference in Lagos today (October 28)
The conference was provocatively titled “Unending Saga: Idi Amin In Whiteface!”
BACKGROUND:
The 91-year-old literary giant famously tore up his US Green Card in 2016 after Trump’s first election victory. In September 2025, he rejected a US Consulate invitation for a visa “reinterview” scheduled for September 11, calling it “bizarre” and comparing Trump to “a white Idi Amin.”
SOYINKA’S RESPONSE:
Despite the visa ban, the Nobel laureate says he holds no grudges against the American people and will continue welcoming Americans to his home in Abeokuta. He pledges to keep speaking out against racism and policies he considers unjust, maintaining his identity as a global citizen.
“I will continue to welcome any American to my home if they have anything legitimate to do with me,” Soyinka affirmed.
This is a developing story that highlights ongoing tensions between Trump’s administration and critics of his immigration policies.
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