The United States Consulate in Lagos has clarified that the issuance of visas to foreign nationals is a privilege, not a right, following reports of the revocation of Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka’s visa.
Responding to an inquiry from The PUNCH on Thursday, the Consulate emphasized that under U.S. law, visa records are confidential and that it would not comment on the specifics of Soyinka’s case.
“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. Department of State, U.S. Consulate General, Lagos.
McKay added that the U.S. government reserves the discretion to revoke visas at any time if circumstances warrant, reiterating that entry into the country is not guaranteed by right.
“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 said.
The clarification came days after Prof. Soyinka announced during a media briefing in Lagos that his B1/B2 visa had been revoked.
Speaking at the event, themed “Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface,” and held at Kongi’s Harvest, Freedom Park, Lagos, the 91-year-old playwright said he received a letter from the U.S. Consulate dated October 23, 2025, notifying him of the decision.
“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 told journalists.
Soyinka, a longtime critic of former U.S. President Donald Trump, expressed surprise at the development, saying he could not recall any wrongdoing that might have led to the revocation.
“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.
Reflecting on his decades-long engagement with the U.S., Soyinka recounted two minor incidents that he humorously suggested could be “dug up” as possible reasons.
“I remember pleading guilty at the airport one day. I was landing in Chicago… I had gone to an Indian restaurant in London, and as usual, when I go to cold wintry countries, I always carry peppers with me… I forgot to declare those chilies,” he said.
“At the airport, they wanted to charge me to court, but they said I could plead guilty and pay a fine. I think I remember paying about $25 or so. So, that’s one possible crime that could have been dug up.”
He also recalled an encounter in the early 1970s during a conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I had a confrontation with the police (over) some racist conduct by the receptionist, which led to the police being called… So, I could be convicted, if you like, for, shall we say, disobeying orders from law officers of the U.S. This was at least 30 years ago.”
Soyinka stressed that he did not believe either of those long-past incidents prompted the revocation.
According to the letter from the U.S. Consulate, 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 letter further stated: “Additional information became available after the visa below was issued. This revocation refers only to the visa listed below.”
The Consulate instructed Soyinka to return his visa for “physical cancellation,” a directive he dismissed wryly.
“They said I should bring the visa for physical cancellation,” he said jokingly. “If anyone here wants to volunteer to deliver it on my behalf, you’re welcome.”
The letter, signed by the Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Section of the Consulate, also advised him to reapply if he wished to visit the United States in the future.
“If you have plans to travel to the United States, you must apply again to re-establish your qualifications for a new non-immigrant visa.”
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Soyinka’s visa had originally been issued on April 2, 2024, in Lagos.
A renowned playwright and Africa’s first Nobel laureate in literature (1986), Soyinka has long maintained ties with academic institutions in the United States, where he has held visiting professorships and lectured extensively.
His visa revocation has sparked a wave of conversation about U.S. immigration policy and what many observers describe as a tightening of entry regulations for African nationals.
While the U.S. Consulate has refused to discuss individual visa cases, its statement underscores a longstanding principle in American immigration policy — that visa issuance and retention remain at the government’s discretion.
For now, Soyinka, the man who once declared that “the writer must be the conscience of his society” says he will remain in Nigeria.
“I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States,” he said. “And if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”
