Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has said he was not surprised by the recent revocation of his United States visa, stating that he had long foreseen that former US President Donald Trump would take actions against immigrants, including cancelling green cards.
In an interview published by BBC News Pidgin, Soyinka recalled that he had warned as far back as 2016 that Trump would “cancel even the green cards” once he assumed office.
Soyinka described Trump as a leader driven by hostility towards minority groups. According to him, “This is a petty minded dictator, you see how he deals with his objects of hate. We saw that dark side of the American side.” He noted that there were more killings and extrajudicial actions against black people and other minorities “on account of the hate rhetoric of this individual” during Trump’s campaign and presidency.
His comments come amid diplomatic tension between Nigeria and the United States, following Trump’s recent decision to list Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution. The Nigerian government has since rejected the claim, describing it as misleading and unfair.
Soyinka also reminded the public that he had previously cut ties with the US after Trump won the presidential election. He fulfilled his promise to discard his US green card, saying, “I have already done it, I have disengaged. I have done what I said I would do.” He explained that he feared what America would become under Trump, adding that he returned to Nigeria permanently because of those concerns.
The playwright disclosed that his B1 B2 visa was officially withdrawn after the US Consulate in Lagos issued a letter asking him to return the document for physical cancellation. The letter dated October 23, 2025, stated that if he intended to travel to the US again, he would need to reapply to “re establish” eligibility for a fresh non immigrant visa, a demand he dismissed as unnecessary.
In July, the US government introduced stricter visa rules for Nigerian travellers, reducing most non immigrant visas to single entry and limiting validity to three months. Many Nigerians have since expressed worry that the policy could discourage travel, business connections, and academic exchanges between the two countries.