The US government on Wednesday revoked the visa of Nigerian Nobel laureate in literature Wole Soyinka, who compared US President Donald Trump to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
“I no longer have a visa – I have been blacklisted,” the writer commented on the situation. “However, I want to assure you that I am very satisfied with this cancellation.”
Soyinka said that this reaction followed his recent comparison of US President Donald Trump to Idi Amin. “It could have a quick impact on him and influence the consulate's decision,” he noted.
According to the writer, Trump “should be proud” of such a comparison. “Idi Amin is an international man, a statesman, so when I called Donald Trump Idi Amin, I thought I was praising him,” Soyinke explained, clearly sarcastic about the situation.
A letter from the U.S. consulate to Soyinka said his visa had been revoked in accordance with U.S. Department of State regulations, which allow “a consular officer or authorized officer to revoke a visa at any time in its sole discretion.”
The writer replied sarcastically: “A rather strange love letter from the embassy.” After reading the letter's contents at a meeting with journalists, he added that anyone who wants to invite him to the United States “should not waste their time.”
The US Embassy in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, declined to comment on the case, citing confidentiality regulations.
Soyinka previously held a US residency permit but renounced it in 2017 to protest Donald Trump's victory in the US election.