The United States Embassy in Lagos has explained that visas are a privilege, not a right, after Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka revealed that his B1/B2 visa had been revoked.
According to the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Officer, Julia McKay, the US government reserves the discretion to revoke visas at any time. “Visas are a privilege, not a right… visas may be revoked at any time, at the discretion of the US government, whenever circumstances warrant,” she said.
Soyinka, a 91-year-old writer and playwright, disclosed that he received a letter dated October 23, 2025, from the US Consulate in Lagos, notifying him of the cancellation. The letter cited US regulations under 22 CFR 41.122, noting that new information had come to light after the visa was issued, leading to its cancellation.
The Embassy requested that Soyinka return the visa for physical cancellation, which he jokingly declined to do, asking if anyone would be willing to deliver it on his behalf. McKay explained that the Embassy could not provide details regarding Soyinka’s case due to privacy regulations.
“Under US law, visa records are generally confidential. We will not discuss the details of this individual visa case,” she stated. Soyinka expressed surprise over the decision, recalling two minor incidents from decades ago, including being fined for carrying undeclared peppers into the US. He chose not to contest the decision, finding the situation “curious”.
