Soyinka Confirms He Has ‘Disengaged’ from the U.S., No Plans to Reapply for Visa

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka says he is unsurprised by the wave of U.S. visa and green card cancellations currently affecting foreign nationals, insisting he predicted the policy shift long before it happened

In a new interview published by BBC News Pidgin on Facebook on Wednesday, the 91-year-old playwright recalled warning that once Donald Trump returned to power, the U.S. would intensify immigration crackdowns, including revoking previously granted residency privileges. Soyinka said his own experience, including the recent withdrawal of his American visa only confirmed what he had long anticipated.

He explained that he had already “disengaged” from the United States years earlier, after deciding he would not remain in a system where entry could be rescinded at any moment. According to him, it was better to walk away voluntarily than wait to be officially barred.

Soyinka also revealed that shortly after Trump first took office, he received a notice from U.S. tax authorities announcing an audit of his returns, a move he described as a “curious coincidence” but one he complied with nonetheless.

Despite the latest visa revocation, the globally acclaimed writer insists he will not make any attempt to restore travel access, stating that he has no interest in “reapplying for permission to enter a country I’ve already left behind.” He stressed that his work, life, and future engagements are now fully rooted in Nigeria.

The Nobel laureate maintains he has no personal issue with the American people, but believes the country’s immigration posture has become increasingly hostile, especially toward critics and foreign intellectuals.