Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka Expelled by the United States

Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka revealed at a press conference in Lagos that the United States has revoked his visa. The 91-year-old literary icon, a towering figure in African and international letters, greeted the announcement with biting irony, framing the incident as a critique of the current political climate.

A Discretionary Revocation

Washington invoked its discretionary authority without providing a detailed explanation, raising questions about potential political motivations. Wole Soyinka announced that his non-immigrant visa was cancelled after he was summoned to the US consulate in Lagos. The official letter cited State Department regulations that allow any consular officer to “revoke a non-immigrant visa at any time, at their discretion.” The US consulate, contacted by media, declined to comment.

Also read: Niger: Wole Soyinka and African Intellectuals Unite to Demand the Release of Mohamed Bazoum

Irony in a Tense Diplomatic Climate

The writer, renowned for his critical voice, reacted with characteristic humor and detachment. “I wish to assure the consulate… that I am very satisfied with the revocation of my visa,” he stated ironically. For Soyinka, this measure is not an isolated event but a “reflection of a tense diplomatic climate and an era where critical thinking is more disturbing than ever,” transforming a bureaucratic action into a symbolic act of dissent.

A History of Symbolic Protest

This is not the first time Soyinka’s relationship with the United States has taken a symbolic turn. In 2016, he publicly destroyed his green card to protest the election of Donald Trump, a figure he has frequently criticized. This latest visa revocation recalls a period when such actions became a political instrument targeting intellectuals deemed critical of American diplomacy. Despite this, the author of Death and the King’s Horseman remains an international academic figure, having taught at prestigious institutions like Harvard and Cornell.

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