Soyinka rejects U.S. visa interview invitation, gives reason

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has announced that he will not attend a visa reinterview scheduled by the United States Consulate in Nigeria for Thursday, September 11.

Speaking to TheNEWS online, Soyinka addressed the recent letters sent to Nigerians holding B1/B2 visas, inviting them for what the Consulate described as a visa reinterview.

He is among many recipients of the notice, which he described as unexpected and peculiar. Initially, Soyinka suspected the letter might be a scam targeting Nigerians seeking visas abroad.

“I would like to begin by stressing the fact that, for me, this is not a personal issue. I have no idea how you got to know. By the way, I also have received the letter, which at first I thought was a fake. I thought it was these scammers who sort of prey on those eager to get visas elsewhere, with promise to deliver visas for a certain amount guaranteed.

“I thought they just picked up my name among others because they knew there was a list of those who have been invited. So, at the beginning, I thought it was advance fee fraud because I had never received that kind of letter from that or any other embassy. I thought that maybe AI has been generating generic letters. It was very strange. So, by the time I came to terms with the fact that this letter is genuine, my mind just went to my relationship with individual ambassadors, Consul-Generals and Cultural Attachés. As you know, it’s always been a courteous relationship,” Soyinka added.

The acclaimed writer also noted that he has far more pressing matters than pursuing visas for countries he has no desire to visit. “So the question of going to such an interview is totally out of consideration,” he said.

Soyinka expressed particular concern over the choice of September 11 for the interview, describing the date as highly significant for the United States. “In addition, I happen to be a little bit superstitious of being given a significant date, not just for the United States but the rest of the world. I’m talking about 9/11. This is a day which I have always considered very critical for the United States especially. To me, 9/11 should be regarded as a day of national mourning, of atonement by the Consulate of the United States.

“They should close down offices on that day, not to keep inviting people to come and have their visas taken away. It should be a day of reflection, of serious, deep thinking in consideration of so many things. I think on that day, United States should shut down completely, universally. If they don’t shut down, at least I would shut down my relationship with them on that day. Because I’m very superstitious. I’m not going anywhere near there on 9/11. I will be airborne somewhere,” he said.

Soyinka further noted that while embassy invitations typically represent governmental outreach, his willingness to accept them depends on the nature of the government involved.

Referencing the United States, he remarked that the current administration is akin to a “white Idi Amin,” prompting caution regarding his safety.