Olushola Omogbehin
Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has explained that he turned down an invitation from the United States Consulate in Nigeria to attend a visa interview because he was not comfortable with the September 11 date fixed for the exercise.
The invitation was sent to Nigerians holding B1/B2 visas, with Soyinka’s appointment fixed for Thursday, September 11.
Soyinka questioned the timing of the exercise, saying that September 11 became a symbolic date in the US after the September 11, 2021 devastating terror attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City and other locations. It is therefore a day of mourning that should not be used for bureaucratic matter.
“And I was given a date to report to their consulate with my passport. I declined the invitation. First of all, I didn’t like the date. Everybody knows what happened on that date, 9/11, many years ago, so it is rather unfortunate that they picked that date. So I said, ‘Sorry, I’m superstitious; I’m not coming on that day.’ And ultimately, I made it clear I was not going to apply for another date to bring in my passport.” He explained after he received the letter.
In an interview titled “Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface” which took place at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Soyinka explained that he initially thought the letter was a scam because he had never received such a request before, but later confirmed its authenticity.
The literary Icon who disclosed that the US embassy had revoked his visa, declared that the media chat was necessary to let those expecting him in the US to know that he had been “banned”.
As a critic of the US President Donald Trump, Soyinka said he got the notice of his visa revocation in a letter dated October 23, 2025, and wondered what could have led to it because in his expressed surprise, he has never misbehaved toward the United States of America, go against the law anywhere or having any history of being convicted.
Speaking further on whether he will be willing to travel to the United States in the near future or not, said “How old am I now? What am I looking for anywhere? Like I said, I have nothing against the American citizens. Human beings live there — friends, families, and colleagues. There are a lot of art productions going on there, and there are philosophers. There are remarkable beings in that place.
“So, if circumstances change, yes (I will), and (if) I were invited. But I won’t make the effort myself. I won’t take the initiative myself because there is nothing I’m looking for there. I’ve been responsible for the creation of some institutions in that place. I’ve given as much as I’ve taken from that place. They owe me nothing, and I owe them nothing.”
Frowning at the date, 9/11, Wole Soyinka maintained that the day should be a day of sober reflection and not otherwise.
“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.”
However, Soyinka believed that this will enabled us to examine so many facets of relationships between travelers from one country and another, particularly the possibility that somebody who has made a home and legitimate living elsewhere, obeys the laws and so on, wakes up someday and gets to the airport and then be told ‘you cannot rejoin your existence in another country.’ This according to him is a horrible thing.
