U.S. EMBASSY REACTS TO WOLE SOYINKA’S VISA CANCELLATION, CALLS VISAS A PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT

The United States Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, has addressed claims by Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka that his visa was revoked, emphasizing that U.S. entry visas are privileges, not rights.

The clarification came on Thursday from the embassy’s Public Diplomacy Officer, Julia McKay, in an email response to public outcry over Soyinka’s revelation. Soyinka, a renowned playwright, disclosed that he received a letter dated October 23, 2025, from the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, notifying him of the cancellation of his B1/B2 visa.

He expressed confusion over the action, stating he could not identify any wrongdoing but recalled two minor, decades-old incidents involving U.S. airport rules and a disagreement with police officers. Jokingly, he noted that the only “crime” he remembered was once being fined for carrying undeclared peppers into the U.S.

The 91-year-old writer, who has been openly critical of U.S. President Donald Trump, told journalists he found the situation “curious” and would not contest the decision. The Consulate’s letter referenced U.S. regulations under 22 CFR 41.122, indicating that new information had come to light after the visa was issued, leading to its cancellation.

It also requested that Soyinka return the visa for physical cancellation, to which he laughed and jokingly asked if anyone would deliver it on his behalf. In response, McKay stated that the embassy could not provide details on Soyinka’s case due to privacy regulations. “Under U.S. law, visa records are generally confidential.

We will not discuss the details of this individual visa case,” McKay said. She further stressed, “Visas are a privilege, not a right… visas may be revoked at any time, at the discretion of the U.S. government, whenever circumstances warrant.”