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The Digest:

In 2016, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka made good on a public vow to destroy his US green card should Donald Trump win the presidency, declaring a personal “Wolexit” in protest against what he termed Trump’s “xenophobic rhetoric.” The symbolic act, carried out shortly after the election, gains renewed significance following the recent revocation of his US visa.

Key Points:
  • In 2016, Wole Soyinka destroyed his US green card following Donald Trump’s election.
  • He called the act “Wolexit,” protesting Trump’s rhetoric against minorities.
  • Soyinka obtained the card with help from former President Jimmy Carter.
  • He stated he would only re-enter the US on a regular visa if necessary.
  • The recent revocation of his visa by the US Consulate cited “additional information.”
  • Soyinka had applied for the visa to resolve an IRS tax audit.
  • The 2016 protest foreshadowed his current diplomatic standoff with US authorities.
Nearly a decade after his symbolic rejection of US residency, Soyinka’s stance continues to reflect a consistent principle, one that now intersects with heightened tensions between the writer and American immigration authorities.

Sources: The Cable