Soyinka had earlier told journalists that his B1/B2 visa to the United States was canceled without any justification.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The United States Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, has reacted to claims by Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, that it revoked his visa, stating that U.S. entry visas are privileges, not rights.
The clarification was made on Thursday by the embassy’s Public Diplomacy Officer, Julia McKay, in an email response.
She was addressing the public outcry that greeted Soyinka’s revelation that his B1/B2 visa to the U.S. had been canceled.
According to the iconic playwright, he received a letter dated October 23, 2025, from the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, notifying him of the cancellation.
He added that he could not identify any wrongdoing that may have triggered the action but recalled two minor, decades-old incidents involving U.S. airport rules and a disagreement with police officers.
He jokingly noted that the only “crime” he could remember was once being fined for carrying undeclared peppers into the U.S.
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The 91-year-old writer, who has been openly critical of U.S. President Donald Trump, told journalists that he would not contest the Embassy’s decision but found the situation “curious.”
The Consulate’s letter reportedly referenced U.S. regulations under 22 CFR 41.122, noting 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.
The former university don, however, laughed at the instruction and jokingly asked if anyone would be willing to deliver it on his behalf.
Responding to Soyinka’s claims, the U.S Embassy stated that it could not provide details regarding the professor’s case because of privacy regulations.
“Under U.S. law, visa records are generally confidential. We will not discuss the details of this individual visa case,” McKay stated.
She went on to stress that no individual is entitled to a U.S. visa, which can be revoked at any time.
“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,” she further stated.
