(DDM) – Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has declared that he foresaw the ongoing wave of visa and green card revocations by the United States government, warning that global immigration policies are shifting toward restriction and control.
According to Diaspora Digital Media (DDM), the literary icon made the revelation while speaking at a public event where he reflected on recent diplomatic and migration developments affecting Nigerians and other African nationals in the U.S.
Soyinka said his prediction was not based on speculation but on a long-standing observation of how American domestic politics often influences its immigration laws, especially during periods of heightened nationalism or economic strain.
He lamented that many Nigerians who legally obtained their visas and green cards are now facing unexpected reviews and cancellations, often without clear explanations or due process.
“The world is becoming more insular,” Soyinka said. “When I warned about this years ago, many thought it was an exaggeration.
What we are witnessing today is the redefinition of global movement and belonging.”
DDM recalls that the United States has, in recent months, intensified its immigration enforcement policies, citing national security and economic considerations.
Reports indicate that several Nigerian professionals and students have been subjected to prolonged visa reviews, entry denials, or abrupt revocations.
Soyinka, known for his global activism and outspoken views, said the development underscores the urgent need for African countries to strengthen internal governance and provide better opportunities for their citizens.
He noted that dependence on foreign validation and migration for economic survival leaves African nations vulnerable to the political whims of powerful states.
“Every time a country fails to provide justice, education, and opportunity, its citizens seek dignity elsewhere,” he said. “Now, even that refuge is being withdrawn.”
Observers told DDM that Soyinka’s remarks come at a time when international travel restrictions and immigration reviews have become increasingly politicised.
The issue has sparked debates across social media, with many Nigerians expressing fear over what they describe as “silent deportations” through administrative revocations.
Soyinka also linked the current trend to a growing sense of global distrust and rising xenophobia.
He argued that the erosion of liberal migration values, once considered central to the idea of freedom, reflects a deeper crisis of humanity.
He urged Nigeria’s government to engage diplomatically with the U.S. and other Western countries to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens abroad, while also tackling domestic conditions driving mass emigration.
In his concluding remarks, the Nobel laureate warned that if African leaders fail to address governance and human capital collapse, the continent may soon face a generation of disillusioned citizens trapped between hostile foreign policies and decaying home systems.
His comments have since reignited public discussion about migration, citizenship, and the shrinking moral space of Western democracies in their treatment of African migrants.
