Trump Administration Revokes Visa of Nigerian Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka

The United States has revoked the visa of Nigerian author and playwright Wole Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel Prize winner in literature, in what appears to be part of President Donald Trump’s new wave of visa cancellations targeting public figures deemed politically or ideologically “incompatible” with his administration.

Speaking Tuesday at Lagos’s Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, the 91-year-old writer read aloud from the consulate’s letter, delivered on October 23, requesting he bring his passport in “for physical cancellation.”

Soyinka, known for his sharp wit, called it “a rather curious love letter.”

“I like people who have a sense of humour,” he told the crowd, laughing. “Would any of you like to volunteer in my place? Take the passport for me? I’m a little bit busy and rushed.”

Issued under Joe Biden’s presidency, Soyinka’s visa is now among those annulled under Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown. The move, which has swept up artists, activists, and even former heads of state, signals Washington’s hardening stance toward critics and perceived political dissidents.

“I want to assure the consulate, the Americans here, that I am very content with the revocation of my visa,” Soyinka said, unfazed. Then, in his trademark dry tone, he added, “Maybe it’s about time also to write a play about Donald Trump.”

Soyinka’s exclusion marks the second time in months that a Nobel laureate has been stripped of a US visa. Earlier this year, Costa Rica’s former president and 1987 Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias had his entry permit cancelled. He told NPR that US officials hinted it was due to his diplomatic ties with China, though he suspected his criticism of Trump also played a role.

“The president has a personality that is not open to criticism or disagreements,” Arias said.

The Nigerian author, however, has long embraced being a thorn in the side of those in power. A fierce opponent of censorship and dictatorship, he has spent decades advocating for free expression, often at personal risk. “Books and all forms of writing are terror to those who wish to suppress the truth,” he once wrote.

For decades, Soyinka has lectured and published widely in the US, particularly through PEN America, where he has spoken on artistic freedom and human rights.