Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka Sees Trump Visa Revocation as 'Gift'
A move by the US administration that has left Nigerian Nobel laureate and renowned writer Wole Soyinka content appears to be the revocation of his visa, according to the author himself. The news comes after years of criticism from Soyinka towards President Donald Trump.
Soyinka had previously destroyed his green card following Trump's first presidential election in 2016, but maintained a permanent residency status in the US. In an interview with journalists at a recent news conference, he revealed that he was "very content" with the revocation of his visa.
He attributed the decision to the US consulate, suggesting that his comparisons between Trump and Ugandan dictator Idi Amin may have been perceived negatively by American authorities.
Soyinka also recalled a previous meeting with US officials in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, where he declined an invitation for an interview about his visa status. This move was said to have been part of the grounds that led to the revocation of his visa according to sources close to Soyinka.
He described the notification as "a rather curious love letter from an embassy", while cautioning any organisations hoping to extend him an invitation, stating they 'should not waste their time'.
A move by the US administration that has left Nigerian Nobel laureate and renowned writer Wole Soyinka content appears to be the revocation of his visa, according to the author himself. The news comes after years of criticism from Soyinka towards President Donald Trump.
Soyinka had previously destroyed his green card following Trump's first presidential election in 2016, but maintained a permanent residency status in the US. In an interview with journalists at a recent news conference, he revealed that he was "very content" with the revocation of his visa.
He attributed the decision to the US consulate, suggesting that his comparisons between Trump and Ugandan dictator Idi Amin may have been perceived negatively by American authorities.
Soyinka also recalled a previous meeting with US officials in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, where he declined an invitation for an interview about his visa status. This move was said to have been part of the grounds that led to the revocation of his visa according to sources close to Soyinka.
He described the notification as "a rather curious love letter from an embassy", while cautioning any organisations hoping to extend him an invitation, stating they 'should not waste their time'.
just saw that Wole Soyinka is LIVING for Trump revoking his visa lol what's good man! 
I mean seriously though, that dude has been goin' at Trump for years and now he's like "yaaas, keep the visa revoked" 
. I'm dyin over here thinking about how Soyinka used to have a green card but then he destroyed it in 2016 
because of all the shade he threw at Trump. Now he's just chillin' like Wole, no visa and all 
. The fact that he thinks his comparisons to Idi Amin had something to do with it is wild 
Revoking Wole Soyinka's visa seems harsh, especially after all he's done for social justice. Did he really have it coming though? 
Maybe the US consulates were just tired of his outspoken criticism. But still, a Nobel laureate getting turned away like that is wild. What's next? 
. I'm not sure if revoking his visa is really the right move, but maybe it's just one of those things that comes with being outspoken? 
I can see why the US officials might be taken aback by some of his comments, though - they do seem pretty scathing at times... but is it worth taking away someone's freedom to visit and live in a country they love? 
still, i guess it shows how serious he was about speaking out against trump...and yeah i can see why american authorities would wanna revoke his visa now that's a whole different level of drama 
I mean, think about it - he was super critical of Trump and now his green card is toast... it's like the universe decided to give him a break from all the drama 
. And let's be real, having that kind of heat on you can be overwhelming - maybe this revocation is just what he needed to take a step back and recharge 
️ I'm not saying Trump didn't deserve some shade, but at the end of the day, Soyinka's all about promoting love and unity 
.
. on one hand, you feel bad for him being denied access again, but on another hand, he does sound like a pretty stubborn guy 
. I've read all his books and he's got some serious issues with authority. This is just karma 
. The dude has a permanent residency, but his ego can't handle not being the center of attention 
. I'm kinda rooting for him on this one... not that I condone his behavior or anything 
. On a serious note though, it's kinda impressive that Soyinka isn't fazed by this move - he's always been a straight shooter and I think that's part of why he's such an iconic figure in literature. If I were him, I'd probably be salty about it too, but instead he's just like "oh well" 
Trump is really something else, huh? Like, who needs a visa revocation just because you diss them in interviews? I mean, Wole Soyinka's been calling out politicians for years, but this seems kinda petty. Guess that's what happens when you're on the other side of the podium 
. The way he talks about it like it's some kind of compliment... "gift" indeed 
.
. That guy is known for stirring trouble 
and it looks like he's got himself a nemesis in Wole Soyinka 
. Now he can focus on his writing again 
. I wonder if this will spark some change or attention to social issues 
? Only time will tell 
. either way, this is gonna be an interesting story to watch unfold 
. I mean, the dude basically burned his green card after Trump got elected and now he's getting his visa revoked? 
! You gotta love how Wole Soyinka stood up for himself and refused to play the game. Destroying his green card was a major move, and it's amazing he's now back in Trump's bad books 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to be seen as a thorn in the side of the man they don't like? It shows that Soyinka's still got it and isn't afraid to speak his mind 
And now everyone's gonna be all like "oh no, I destroyed my green card too, let me go destroy mine now". No thanks, I'll stick with my stable life.
. but you gotta give the man credit, he didn't get all bent out of shape about it like some people would. and honestly, who needs that kind of stress in their life? 