Wole Soyinka: Nobel laureate unbothered after US visa cancellation

Celebrated Nigerian writer and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has revealed that the United States has revoked his visa.

Speaking at Kongi's Harvest Gallery in Lagos on Tuesday, the 90-year-old literary icon said he received an official notice from the U.S. Consulate dated October 23, 2025, informing him that his visa had been cancelled.

Reading directly from the letter, Soyinka said, "We request you bring your visa to the United States Consulate General in Lagos for physical cancellation. To schedule an appointment, please email in advance of the appointment."

The revered author of The Man Died and Death and the King's Horseman appeared unbothered, even amused by the development, calling it a "rather curious love letter" from the U.S. government.

Trump govt strips Nigerian Nobel winner Wole Soyinka of US visa. https://t.co/bweyhsjqdb

- Charles Onyango-Obbo (@cobbo3) October 28, 2025

"I like people who have a sense of humour, and this is one of the most humorous requests I have ever received in my life," he told the audience, flashing a smile. "Would any of you like to volunteer in my place? Take the passport for me? I am a little busy and rushed."

Soyinka, who became Africa's first Nobel Prize winner in Literature in 1986, has long been admired for his fearless criticism of political power, both at home and abroad.

His strong views have often ruffled feathers, including his past remarks about former U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he once compared to Uganda's ex-dictator Idi Amin.

Although the U.S. authorities have not commented on why Soyinka's visa was revoked, the timing has fuelled speculation that it may be linked to his earlier statements.

Online, many have praised the literary legend's calm and witty reaction, describing it as the mark of a man who has spent his life defending free expression and standing tall in the face of authority.