'Trump na petty-minded dictator' - Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka insist afta US visa revocation
Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Harnik via Getty Images and Ifiokabasi Ettang/BBC
Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka say di United States revoke im visa as retaliation for calling Donald Trump "petty-minded dictator."
Di 91-year-old author tell di BBC say Trump actions dey remind am of Uganda former ruler, Idi Amin.
Bifor, Prof Soyinka say di US revoke im non-immigrant visa wey dem issue am last year and dem tell am to re-apply if e wish to try again to visit di US.
On Tuesday 28 October 2025 e show reporters copy of one letter from di US Consulate General for Lagos wey ask am to bring im passport for physical cancellation.
During di interview wit BBC, Prof Soyinka say e don warn bifor say wen Trump enta office, e go begin find scapegoat.
"Even though I tok am, pipo fail to accept am. I no like to be kicked out, I like to kick myself out, e dey more dignified."
"Wetin happun, dem wan do me back becos I say dis na petty minded dictator. You go see how e dey deal wit im objects of hate, afta e take office."
Di Nobel laureate say e bin warn pipo bifor say wen Trump win im election, e go begin cancel green card and ask pipo to reapply.
E say im no wait till wen dem go cancel im Green Card so e gatz do dat by imsef dat time, and wen Trump enta power, plenti black pipo bin kpai.
Prof Soyinka say e tear im green car wen Trump first enta office becos of im 'racist rhetoric'.
"I cut up my green card for di first coming of di present incumbent of di White House. Why I do dat? Simply becos during dat campaign I listen to and I watch di delivery of a racist rhetoric wey I neva encountered for my familiar routine wit American campaigning.
"During im election progress di first coming now, we actually see di dark side of di American side. E get more extrajudicial killings by di police, of black pipo of minorities during dat buildup."
Di Nobel laureate narrate how e bin follow di campaign of Obama, and see how pipo bin receive transformation for di American society but wen Trump dey campaign, tins begin change.
"I say wen dat man come to power, di first tin e go do na to cancel even di green cards and say, go and reapply. I say I no go wait for di interview or simply. wia dem go say your green card dey cancelled."
Prof Soyinka say wen e first receive di letter for di cancellation of im visa, e first tink say na love letter but e come realise later say na serious letter.
E say di letter refer to "certain facts wey no dey available wen di visa dey issued" but di issue come arise now afta nearly a year.
"For di beginning, I tink say na one of dis scam letters, maybe somebodi alreadi manage to create fake account wit dose wey dey die to obtain a visa, but I realise say dis na serious letter."
Di Nobel laureate say e receive letter to audit im tax, and na from dia sometins begin happun
"For January or February, I no rememba, afta November Thanksgiving, I get a letter from di Internal Revenue Service, telling me to report dem call am audit. So I bin go di embassy, and I say an accident don happun to my green card."
"I say I fit get B1B? Just sometin to take me dia and bring me back. So dem treat me veri respectfully and give me a B1."
"Now, na dat B1, B2, be di object of controversy. In other words"
