By Atoyebi Nike
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has expressed shock and confusion over reports that his U.S. visa has been revoked, saying he has no criminal record or history that could warrant such an action.
“I’m still looking into my past history… I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanour to qualify for the revocation,” Soyinka said. “Have I ever misbehaved toward the United States of America? Do I have a history? Have I gone against the law anywhere?”
PM News earlier reported on September 10, 2025, that Soyinka had declined an invitation by the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria for a visa re-interview, which was scheduled for September 11. The Consulate had reportedly invited holders of B1/B2 visas for what it termed a “visa interview.”
Soyinka, whose visa type allows temporary entry for business or tourism, said he initially thought the invitation was a scam.
“I thought it came from scammers who prey on those eager to get visas elsewhere. I even thought maybe AI had generated generic letters. It was very strange,” he told PM News.
The playwright added that he had always maintained courteous relations with U.S. diplomatic officials and could not understand the reason for the development.
