Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has said he is not yet ready to publicly evaluate President Bola Tinubu’s administration, explaining that his remarks on national issues are often misinterpreted.
In an interview with BBC News Yoruba, the world-renowned playwright and activist stated that he prefers to take his time before offering an assessment of the government.
“I have been asked that question by several people,” Soyinka said in Yoruba. “I don’t want to answer because it seems as if there’s nothing one says that won’t be twisted, and I’m tired of that. So, I want to take my time. When it’s time, I will write my view on that.”
Despite his history of openly criticising various Nigerian administrations — including those of Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari — Soyinka has refrained from issuing a formal appraisal of Tinubu’s presidency, more than two years after it began.
The literary icon, who recently made headlines over the revocation of his US visa, also revealed during the interview that he has no plans to reapply. According to him, the US Consulate in Lagos had invited him to bring his passport so the cancellation could be formally stamped — a request he declined.
“They are jokers,” he said. “I should take my passport to those who revoked my visa? I told them they should come to my house and stamp it themselves. I cannot say I’ll be applying again or sitting down to fill out any form. But if they realise they made a mistake and want to return the visa, they should bring it to my house and before you come to my house, you will need a visa to enter.”
Soyinka had earlier disclosed during a media parley in Lagos that his B1/B2 visa had been revoked. The US Mission later clarified that visas are a privilege and may be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of the US government.
