The United States Consulate in Lagos has reiterated that visas granted to foreign nationals are a privilege and not a right, as it addressed questions surrounding the revocation of Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka’s visa.
Responding to an inquiry on Thursday, the Consulate explained that it was unable to discuss the specifics of Soyinka’s case due to confidentiality laws.
“Under U.S. law, visa records are generally confidential. We will not discuss the details of this individual visa case,” said Julia McKay, Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.
McKay noted that the U.S. government reserves the right to revoke visas at any time.“Visas are a privilege, not a right. Every country, including the United States, can determine who enters its borders. Visas may be revoked at any time, at the discretion of the U.S. government, whenever circumstances warrant,” she stated.
Prof. Soyinka had revealed on Tuesday during a media interaction in Lagos that his B1/B2 visa had been revoked by the U.S. Embassy.
At the event held at Kongi’s Harvest, Freedom Park, the 91-year-old literary icon told journalists not to expect him in the United States for any engagements.
“It is necessary for me to hold this press conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time. I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” he said.
The playwright, who has been openly critical of U.S. President Donald Trump, said he was unsure what led to the decision.
“I’ve started looking back—have I ever misbehaved towards the United States of America? Do I have a history? Have I been convicted? Have I gone against the law anywhere?” he wondered.
Soyinka went on to recount two minor incidents that occurred decades ago, saying he doubted they were linked to the current situation.
He recalled being fined about $25 at a Chicago airport after failing to declare some green chilies he had in his pocket. “At the airport, they wanted to charge me to court, but they said I could plead guilty and pay a fine… That’s one possible crime that could have been dug up,” he said.
He also narrated a confrontation with police at an Atlanta hotel in the early 1970s following what he described as racist conduct by a receptionist.
According to a letter from the U.S. Consulate dated October 23, 2025, Soyinka’s non-immigrant visa “has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in the U.S. Department of State regulations 22 CFR 41.122 and is no longer valid for application for entry into the United States.”
The Consulate asked that the visa be returned for physical cancellation and noted that Soyinka would need to reapply for a new one. The document stated that his visa had been issued on April 2, 2024.
Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, has long-standing ties to the United States, where he has held several academic positions.
The revocation has stirred debate over recent U.S. measures to curb migration, especially from African nations.
(PUNCH)