Soyinka’s US Ban May Be Rooted In 2016 Green Card Shredding

October 28, 2025
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Harvest of Tributes As Soyinka Celebrates 90th Birthday
Soyinka

By Ibe Ifeanyi Chris

PrimeBuinessAfrica today reported that Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka announced that the United States Lagos Consulate had revoked his non-immigrant visa in a letter dated 23/10/25.

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The Nobel Laureate, while making the announcement in a media briefing said he could not lay hand on any reason behind the action.

He said he had no past criminal or immigration violation that could justify the action and “I am still looking into my past history to understand it.”

According to him, “I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanor to qualify for the revocation.”

However, PrimeBusiness Africa recalls that in 2016, Soyinka had shredded his Green Card during President Donald Trump’s first attempt to the US presidency.

The incident which made international headlines then was Soyinka’s personal protest against a possible Trump presidency.

However, Tuesday’s ban came on the heels of the U.S. State Department which sited “additional information” after the visa was issued, with no suggestion that it’s a retaliation for Soyinka’s 2016 action.

The distinguished literary icon had in 2016 shocked the world when announced on the sidelines of an education conference at the University of Johannesburg that he “had thrown away the Green Card.”

Soyinka had actually shredded the Green Card later when he was back in Nigeria from the Johannesburg education conference.

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Editor

Prime Business Africa is a business, economy and policy news platform founded in 2021 by veteran journalist and media scholar, Dr Marcel Mbamalu, after he left The Guardian as Editor.

Dr Mbamalu, who serves as Founder and Publisher, set up Prime Business Africa to deliver sharp, data-driven reporting on Nigeria’s markets, trade, investment, and governance trends for decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and policy leaders.

He also writes The Bottom Line, a backpage column for Punch Newspaper every Thursday.

Under his leadership, Prime Business Africa combines deep newsroom experience with a focus on accountability journalism, aiming to bridge information gaps between Africa’s private sector and the global economy.

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