The United States government has revoked the visa of Nigerian Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, effectively barring him from entry, he announced at a press event in Lagos Tuesday.
Speaking at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Soyinka said he was informed of the revocation via letter from the U.S. Consulate. “I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States,” he told attendees. “It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event … do not waste their time.”
The scholar asserted his innocence, saying he was unaware of any actions that could have warranted such a measure. “I have no visa, I am banned … I’ve started looking back — have I ever misbehaved toward the United States … Have I been convicted?” he asked.
Soyinka, 91, is among Africa’s most celebrated writers and intellectuals. The revocation coincides with his plans to speak at events in the U.S., some of which are now in doubt.
The decision is likely to stir debate over diplomatic relations, freedom of expression, and the treatment of critics abroad. It also raises questions about the justification behind visa sanctions against public figures.
