Speaking at a press conference at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, on Thursday, Nobel laureate and renowned playwright Wole Soyinka criticised the Nigerian government for “banishing” him.
“Not being able to return to your own country is banishment,” Soyinka said
According to the literature professor, he was told he could not get on the flight when he wanted to return from Paris.
“I had my vaccination, I have taken the 72-hour covid test, I was negative but there was one more, there was a new one called PCR which the Nigerian government had begun to insist on,” Soyinka continued.
PCR or Polymerase Chain Reaction is a test to detect genetic material from a specific organism. The Nigerian government is currently mandating it for travellers who wish to get into and out of the country.
Soyinka believed it was his fault for not observing the protocol. Unfortunately, that was not the first time Soyinka was denied entry to his country, as it also happened a week ago. This time, he was still denied despite having followed all the requirements.
“This time I had my PCR and of course it did not happen to me alone, there were other Nigerians who had a similar scenario, they couldn’t leave because they had already passed the immigration,” Soyinka said, claiming he had to make “certain payments” to enter the country because they had not obtained a travel permit from the Nigerian government.
