Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka faces visa revocation under Trump administration.
The US government has officially revoked the visa of acclaimed writer and critic Wole Soyinka, sparking concern among literary circles. Soyinka confirmed in a news conference that his permanent residency was revoked, citing recent comments he made about comparing Donald Trump to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin as contributing factors.
Soyinka had previously destroyed his green card after Trump's first presidential campaign in 2016 and maintained ties with the US, teaching at prominent universities such as Harvard and Cornell. However, following the comments, the US consulate called him for an interview to reassess his visa, which he declined.
The letter from the consulate cited US state department regulations allowing for visa revocation at any time by a consular officer in their discretion. Soyinka jokingly described it as "a rather curious love letter" and stated that he had no visa, effectively saying he was banned.
Critics argue that this move is part of the Trump administration's larger crackdown on immigration, targeting outspoken individuals like university students who advocate for Palestinian rights. Soyinka himself expressed concerns over the treatment of undocumented immigrants, emphasizing his focus lies beyond the US context.
The 91-year-old playwright and Nobel laureate has made a name for himself through works such as "Death and the King's Horseman" and "Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth". Despite leaving the door open to reconsidering an invitation to the US in the future, Soyinka remains skeptical about re-engaging with the country.
The US government has officially revoked the visa of acclaimed writer and critic Wole Soyinka, sparking concern among literary circles. Soyinka confirmed in a news conference that his permanent residency was revoked, citing recent comments he made about comparing Donald Trump to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin as contributing factors.
Soyinka had previously destroyed his green card after Trump's first presidential campaign in 2016 and maintained ties with the US, teaching at prominent universities such as Harvard and Cornell. However, following the comments, the US consulate called him for an interview to reassess his visa, which he declined.
The letter from the consulate cited US state department regulations allowing for visa revocation at any time by a consular officer in their discretion. Soyinka jokingly described it as "a rather curious love letter" and stated that he had no visa, effectively saying he was banned.
Critics argue that this move is part of the Trump administration's larger crackdown on immigration, targeting outspoken individuals like university students who advocate for Palestinian rights. Soyinka himself expressed concerns over the treatment of undocumented immigrants, emphasizing his focus lies beyond the US context.
The 91-year-old playwright and Nobel laureate has made a name for himself through works such as "Death and the King's Horseman" and "Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth". Despite leaving the door open to reconsidering an invitation to the US in the future, Soyinka remains skeptical about re-engaging with the country.
... I mean what even is this? A Nobel laureate gets his visa revoked just for making a comment about Trump? That's like revoking a friend's invite over something they said in passing 
. And now he's basically saying he's been banned and can't come back? 
What's next, revoking the visa of someone who says a certain word in an interview? 
It's all so ridiculous...
, still not sure if it's fair tho idk what US state department regulations say but visa revocation seems like overkill
I was just thinking, have you guys ever noticed how much pineapple belongs on pizza? 
Like, what's wrong with a good ol' fashioned Hawaiian combo, am I right? And don't even get me started on people who say pineapple doesn't belong. It's all about personal taste, folks! 
What's your go-to pizza topping?
The way this is playing out is just so messed up 
... I mean Wole Soyinka is a 91-year-old legend, for crying out loud! He's had to deal with all this drama because he spoke his mind? 
. It feels like the US government is trying to silence him, and honestly, it's pretty scary for anyone who's outspoken or disagrees with them, especially when it comes to issues like Palestinian rights 
.
. And what about the students at Harvard and Cornell? They're not getting the kind of education they deserve because of someone's personal politics 
it's really sad that soyinka has to go through this at his age...he should be able to travel and teach without fear of being banned 
and it's literally the most relatable thing I've seen all week. like who hasn't tried to crack open a hard shell and failed, right? anyway back to Soyinka... I think it's kinda weird that they're revoking his visa just because he made some comments about Trump. I mean, shouldn't they be talking to him about the actual issues rather than just going all out? 
, I mean who decides that a Nobel laureate has to deal with this kinda treatment? it's like they're trying to silence him for speaking truth to power... he just said something that didn't sit well with them and now his entire life in the US gets turned upside down 
. i think its just a ploy to silence ppl who speak out against injustice... soyinka's like, "hey us gov dont bother me" and now they're tryna kick him out 
. The Trump admin is being super unfair 
, and now they're punishing him for speaking out? 
.
? Like, what even is that? 
He said no to the meeting, but still, it feels like they're trying to silence him 
. I mean, I get why people might disagree with his views, but come on! 
. It's just sad to see someone like Wole Soyinka being treated like this 
)
)
and this whole thing feels so Trump-y... like, what even is the deal? He compares Trump to Idi Amin (I mean, yeah, that's not cool) and now his visa gets revoked? It's just so shady 
. And can we talk about how hypocritical it is for the US government to crack down on immigration while still being all like "we're a beacon of freedom" 
... I mean, come on, folks! Make up your minds, you know? 