‘Visas Are Privileges, Not Rights,’ US Defends Wole Soyinka’s Visa Revocation

The United States Embassy in Lagos has justified the revocation of Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka’s visa, stressing that visas are privileges granted at the discretion of the U.S. government, not entitlements.

Responding to an inquiry from The PUNCH on Thursday, the Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, Julia McKay, clarified that visa records are confidential and that the U.S. government reserves the right to revoke any visa at any time.

“Visas are a privilege, not a right. Every country, including the United States, can determine who enters its borders. Visas may be revoked at any time, at the discretion of the U.S. government, whenever circumstances warrant,” McKay said in an emailed response.

Professor Soyinka, 91, had disclosed on Tuesday that his B1/B2 visa was withdrawn by the U.S. Embassy. Speaking at a media parley in Lagos, he said he received an official notice from the U.S. Consulate, dated October 23, 2025, informing him that his visa was “no longer valid for entry” and requesting that he return it for “physical cancellation.”

The Nobel laureate, visibly amused but puzzled, said he could not identify any wrongdoing that might have led to the decision. He recalled two decades-old incidents , one involving a fine for undeclared chili peppers at a Chicago airport and another dispute with police officers in Atlanta , but dismissed any connection to the present case.

Soyinka, who has held teaching positions across several U.S. universities, remarked that the revocation effectively bars him from attending planned events in the United States.

The development has sparked widespread debate across diplomatic and literary circles, with many linking it to America’s increasingly restrictive immigration posture, particularly toward African intellectuals and public figures.