Wole Soyinka Rejects U.S. Consulate’s Invitation for Visa Reinterview, Calls It “Strange and Bizarre”

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has declined an invitation by the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria for a visa reinterview scheduled for September 11.

“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.”

“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,” he explained.

“Sincerely, I have more important things to do than chase visas for places I don’t want to go to and where I am not wanted. So the question of going to such an interview is totally out of consideration.”

“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… 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,” Soyinka said.

“The United States, for instance, has a ‘white Idi Amin’ at the helm of affairs.”