Despite their military name, it is hard to see how an eight-strong delegation from Nigeria's branch of the Boys' Brigade posed much of a threat to this country. They are, after all, members of a Christian youth group that is championed by our royal family and had been invited to a prestigious global event to recognise civic leadership. But the handpicked teenagers and their two dedicated leaders were barred from Britain.

The group was gutted. "We are not happy at all," Arastus Mbamoh, national secretary of the Boys' Brigade in Nigeria, told me. "It is very annoying and highly disappointing for everyone." They were not alone – 43 other delegates were barred from the international gathering this weekend at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. With depressing inevitability all were from Africa; only eight applicants from the continent were allowed to join the festivities.

This is the flip side of our toxic immigration debate, with those vile "go home" posters and racist talk of bongo bongo land. Each day, thousands of Africans are turned away from Britain, wrecking carefully laid plans to trade, visit relatives, attend conferences, see the sights or simply enjoy some shopping. They lose costly visa fees of up to £772 and go elsewhere; we lose goodwill alongside much-needed business in key sectors.

This official hostility makes a mockery of politicians who talk of competing in a global race as they corrode links to some of the world's fastest developing nations. And nowhere sums up Britain's anachronistic and contorted view of a rapidly changing world better than Nigeria, a country cobbled together by our Victorian ancestors a century ago that is emerging, for all its flaws and internal rifts, as Africa's potential superpower.

On one hand our leaders, who love to cloak themselves in compassion as self-proclaimed saviours of the poor, throw huge clumps of taxpayers' cash at this west African behemoth. As ministers pump taxpayers' money into aid despite a startling history of failure, Nigeria is being handed the biggest increase of any major recipient nation over the course of the coalition. The annual bung is rising from £142m three years ago to £305m by the next election in 2015 – coincidentally the country's target date to launch its first astronauts under an ambitious space programme.

It is daft to pour such sums into a place pockmarked with corruption and soaring inequality. Nigeria is one of the world's fastest growing markets for private jets and champagne: a bottle of Cristal can cost £600 in a club while two thirds of people struggle to survive on less than half that sum a year. The core issues are ones of governance and social justice – yet we prop up a thieving political elite that has failed persistently to deliver public services to its people. This is a major oil producer that suffers crippling power shortages and accounts for one in three children out of school in Africa.

It is worth adding, of course, that it is pinstriped western pimps in finance, law and property who assist the flight of African capital – much of it stolen – into offshore accounts and tax havens. Little is done to tackle this. Now one of our leading banks is about to cut the life support that aids millions of families through the transfer of remittances.

Despite the kleptocracy and growing insurgency in the north, Nigeria is one of the continent's most consistent economic performers, with annual growth rates of more than 5% over the past decade and about to become Africa's biggest economy. This is not just down to oil – it has strong banking and technology sectors, while manufacturing, construction and leisure thrive. The question is whether its energy and entrepreneurialism can sustain a population expected to increase fivefold by the end of the century; if it does, it could challenge even China.

So what is our stance towards this nation that has strong historic ties to ours, speaks English and can be brought to near standstill by an Arsenal match on TV? A sharp rise in the proportion of rejected visa applications, according to most recent figures. And now the government, rattled by Ukip over immigration but impotent to stop those coming from Europe, plans to impose an absurd £3,000 bond on the six-month visas favoured by most of the 142,000 Nigerians who visited these shores last year. This discriminatory idea was, incidentally, first floated by Labour then initially announced by the Liberal Democrat leader.

Yet we will need Nigeria more than they need us in the emerging world order. Over the past decade trade between the two nations rose nearly fivefold, with the value of British exports there doubling. Meanwhile, a study last month found Nigerians to be the sixth-biggest spenders in our shops, which explains the Hausa signs in Debenhams, while they spend £300m annually at our schools and universities. But there is nothing to stop them educating their children in the US, trading with Turkey or holidaying in China.

The bond proposal created a deserved backlash in Nigeria, with fiery calls for retaliation. Newspaper headlines talk of two nations on a warpath – but which one will be the loser in the so-called global race? The African powerhouse growing at great speed – or its former colonial master, struggling to hold its head above water? Britain bleats about bogus development through aid, yet demonstrates hostility that reeks of hypocrisy and damages both our interests. We need to wake up before it is too late.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/09/britain-hypocrisy-nigeria?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

well written

israel007: Shameless people. They need us more than we need them. They should make it visa free to Nigerians in fact

I tellz you

Proudly Nigerian!

Retaliatory government!

What does Nigeria aim to achieve by embarking on a £5000 bond on British visitors?

Nevertheless, I support Nigeria 24/7.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, the policy is nothing but a political ploy by the Conservative government to boost support ahead of the UK's general elections in 2015. It makes absolutely ZERO economic sense.

How else can one explain such a policy? Nigeria is even a small case, what about India? Which serious country can afford to antagonise INDIA, one of the world's biggest markets and emerging economies?

Anyway like the author said, there are alternatives to London. We can go to shop in Paris, educate our kids in the US, go for a Dubai holiday and trade with China. We can even retaliate by levying a surtax on British companies operating in Nigeria (call it a "business bond" or whatever).

Meanwhile, can anyone tell me the relevance of the "Commonwealth", in the light of these developments?

Stay in your country.
Is that too much to ask?

HNosegbe: I have said it before and I'll say it again, the policy is nothing but a political ploy by the Conservative government to boost support ahead of the UK's general elections in 2015. It makes absolutely ZERO economic sense.

How else can one explain such a policy? Nigeria is even a small case, what about India? Which serious country can afford to antagonise INDIA, one of the world's biggest markets and emerging economies?

Anyway like the author said, there are alternatives to London. We can go to shop in Paris, educate our kids in the US, go for a Dubai holiday and trade with China. We can even retaliate by levying a surtax on British companies operating in Nigeria (call it a "business bond" or whatever).

Meanwhile, can anyone tell me the relevance of the "Commonwealth", in the light of these developments?

why not shop in Nigeria and holiday in tinapa?
Must you go out of the country before you can do anything reasonable.?
The scale of capital flight from Nigeria to these countries is terrifying.

Nigerians shouls stay in their country.
Our politicians should make this country 'stayable'
what are the things we go there for? Education, Health etc. Our politicians should make this amenities available for Chrissake

Okay 10th

British are gonna lose. Nigerians, sit back and develop your nation...

My friends who went abroad to study post degree all came back home to secure jobs. I see no gain in it... Its only hustlers who make it in UK after studies and they even need to relocate to other EU states to do that....

Wat's it sef? That country that has been going backward. Pay if you have to go and let those of us dat dnt kia hv some rest. Ah.

No more running
Even our colonial masters are tired of our backwardness
All of us shud sit our asses down and fix naija
Hehehe hahaha
I laugh in spanish
Blessing in disguise

see my beloveth country dey do boy yoyo for another country smh

Yawns.... it would be a miracle when I start bothering myself with this issue...

So they knew that premiership matches cn bring Nigeria to a standstill..
Wonra sal nefa endi

They have come again with their silly praises: The African powerhouse growing at great speed

When our people hear this, they all be happy but the europeans just laugh at them.

They have dumped the "giant of africa" nonsense, then?

I agree with the poster who describes it as a blessing in disguise. Perhaps it's a clarion call after all. But I also feel we should show them we aren't subservient as they think. Anyone who can afford the bond fees should feel free to visit each other but it will sure ensure a decline in Nigerians' travel rate to the UK.

Typing........

I guess the proposed £5k is really boiling this little dîcked britons up.





We're better than them. Na yahoo yahoo dem take develop their country, dupping of their natural resources.

What else is left in britain？
i will rather go to china and us again and again

Youngzedd: Typing........

What

I think it would be a brilliant idea if the Nigerian government would implement the following:
1. Blacklist and refuse to do business with any UK companies which are owned or part-owned by Tory MPs or which have Tory MP as director or consultant.
2 Impose £50,000 bond on British people (woman, man and child ) entering Nigeria.
3. Stop British citizens in that country from hiring domestic servants and chauffeurs.
4. Arrest and prosecute any G48 staff or deportation escort who arrives in the country with citizens deported from the UK.
(1) above will force Cameron to take the overnight flight to Nigeria to plead with the government.

GEJ, for once, please act and be decisive. Enough of this nonsense from colonial slave dealers.

Wetin una dey find go UK?

Trash.

Its about time we wake up and realise that the grass on the other side (UK) is not always green.

Yes we have family, friends, school that we need to visit, but its time to realise that we also have values.

If reverse was the case, (Nigeria charging UK £3K) other European countries will support UK and put a fee for Nigerians.

But we have to no active African Union, what you see is other African countries is them Laughing at us.

I must also add, Nigerians proposing £5K as a retaliation is one of the dumbest idea I have ever heard, he who came up with that idea should be fired.

What do I propose then? Allow the UK to charge that fee - UK has no natural resource or nothing, just a an accountable country with "minimal corruption" and thrives on taxes. By the time Indians (which by the way constitute some degree of influence on the British economy) Nigerians etc, moves to other countries, and the GDP in UK continues to Drop, there will be no need to tell monkey that market done close.

#DazAll

What are they saying

The Brits are racists. We can cut down our trading with them.