Real reason I won’t assess Tinubu’s Gov’t now – Wole Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said he is not ready to publicly assess the administration of President Bola Tinubu, explaining that his past remarks have often been misrepresented.

In an interview with BBC News Yoruba published on Facebook on Tuesday, the globally acclaimed writer said he would share his thoughts on Tinubu’s government at his own time.

“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.”

Soyinka, known for his strong opinions and criticisms of successive Nigerian governments, including those of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari, has yet to comment publicly on Tinubu’s administration, now over two years in office.

In previous years, he had strongly criticized Buhari’s leadership, describing it as a failure in addressing insecurity. During a 2021 interview, he remarked that avoiding discussions about Buhari’s government was necessary for his “sanity.”

Soyinka also spoke about the recent revocation of his U.S. visa, revealing that he has no intention of reapplying despite being asked to do so by the U.S. Consulate in Lagos.

“They wrote that I should bring my passport for them to stamp it as cancelled. They are jokers. I told them they should come to my house, take the passport themselves, and stamp it,” Soyinka said. “I’m not fighting the American people. If they realise they made a mistake and want to give it back, they should bring it to my house. And before you come to my house, you will need a visa to enter.”

Last week, the 91-year-old playwright disclosed that his U.S. B1/B2 visa had been revoked, adding that he was effectively banned from entering the United States.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria, however, clarified that visas are privileges, not rights, and can be revoked at any time at the discretion of the U.S. government.