Wole Soyinka acted as guarantor for my Japan residency — Nwelue

Nigerian author and filmmaker, Onyeka Nwelue, has revealed how Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka supported his journey to securing residency in Japan, describing the intervention as pivotal to his relocation.

Nwelue disclosed this in a series of posts on his X handle on Sunday, where he expressed gratitude to Soyinka for standing as his guarantor during the process.

“With the support of the greatest literary mind in Africa, I have become a resident of the greatest nation on earth, Japan. I remain indebted to this man till my last day on earth,” he wrote.

Central to the process, according to Nwelue, was a formal letter written and signed by Soyinka in April 2025, in which the Nobel Laureate introduced him to Japanese authorities and vouched for his character.

“It is with great pleasure that I introduce the novelist and film director, Mr. Onyeka Nwelue, as a bona fide visitor to Japan in promotion of his artistic preoccupations. I stand guarantor for his stated mission in Japan, and his compliance with Japanese laws and socio-cultural norms,” Soyinka wrote.

The playwright further affirmed Nwelue’s professional standing, stating, “I have collaborated with him on a number of projects and affirm him to be a responsible individual and committed professional.”

Soyinka also highlighted the cultural significance of the visit, noting that it would strengthen ties between Nigeria and Japan in the cultural sector and promote exchange among young writers and artists.

In a separate post, Nwelue said he was grateful for the support while the benefactor was still alive, adding that Soyinka’s intervention helped advance both his literary work and engagement with Japanese authorities.