Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka's Visa to the United States Revoked

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, 91, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, has had his non-resident visa to enter the United States revoked. The Nigerian author expressed his belief that the rejection is likely due to his recent criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump, specifically his comparison of Trump to the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Soyinka jokingly referred to the rejection as a "love letter" but emphasized that he does not blame the officials. He plans to continue his work and teaching without a visa, stating, "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."

Key Takeaways:

• Wole Soyinka, a 91-year-old Nigerian author and Nobel laureate, had his non-resident visa to the United States revoked.
• Soyinka believes the rejection is due to his recent criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump, specifically a comparison of Trump to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
• The U.S. Consulate in Nigeria stated that visa records are confidential and would not discuss the specifics of the case. They stressed that "visas are a privilege, not a right" and that "visas may be revoked at any time, at the discretion of the U.S. government."
• Soyinka has taught in the U.S. and previously held a green card, which he joked had "an accident" eight years ago and "fell between a pair of scissors."
• In 2017, Soyinka destroyed his green card in protest over Trump's first inauguration.
• The letter informing Soyinka of his visa revocation cited "additional information became available after the visa was issued," but did not describe what that information was.

Statistics:

• 37 years since Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.
• 1971-1979: The time period during which Ugandan dictator Idi Amin ruled.
• 91: The age of Wole Soyinka.
• 2017: The year Soyinka destroyed his green card in protest over Trump's first inauguration.

Sources:

• New Delhi Times