Wale Ojo–Lanre was among the Nigerian journalists who interviewed the Nigerian High Commissioner in Britain, Ambassador Dalhatu Tafida, during the Nigerian Carnival organised by the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK (CANUK). Excerpts:

Your Excellency, Nigeria is making a lot of efforts to lure tourists to its shores, particularly from the UK, with which it shares a lot in common. But understand that it is very difficult for tourists to be procure visas to Nigeria. Why should this be so?
Once again, this is a lie. I don’t know about what obtained in the past, but since I resumed here, we have put things in proper perspective. I want to let you know that we are even giving priority to visitors.

This is because there is always the first time visit. Some of the investors do not come the first time as an investor; most of them come visiting and getting on the ground, they learn has this country is good and has this and that. So, our visa is tourism-friendly. We encourage sincere people to visit Nigeria. However, the internationally acceptable and approved process must be followed.

We learnt you are making an amendment to the process of obtaining visa?
What we are trying to do is to really blend with what operates in other countries and which have facilitated the influx of investments, investors and tourists to those countries. We want to be able to issue visa for six months, two years, five years and even 10 years. This will encourage steady planning and sequential coordination of whatever programme and project the holder is into. We are yet to see it through but it will soon materialise.

How functional is the High Commission’s information desk?
It is functional. The ID is computerised and manned by competent people who are alive to their responsibilities. And moreover, all of us at the High Commission are information officers for the country.

Whatever information you want on Nigeria is available. You remember, this is the age of IT. We also enjoin anybody seeking true information on Nigeria to visit the High Commission for an authentic and unbiased report.

Why the authentic and unbiased report?
You know for sure that most of the information being posted on the net about Nigeria is not true. We are here to clarify issues. I often tell enquirers that the best place to get correct information on Nigeria is here. We will not hide or hoard information. That is not why we are here.

What you said is in contrast to the news in town, that the staffs, of the High Commission are not only inaccessible but Like I said earlier, I don’t know what was obtainable in the past. Any staffs of the High Commission who behaves arrogantly or treat himself as a Lord is just fooling himself. And I have always announced it to Nigerians in the UK to bring forward any official whose demeanour is foul. We are here to care for Nigerians. If Nigerians are not here, the so call staff will definitely not be here .So like you said, it will be a stupid act for any staff to see himself as a lord where he is nothing but a servant of the people. And I have also told Nigerians that they should not offer bribe or induce our staff for services they required after fulfilling all process and procedure and they should report to the Commission whoever demanded a bribe or gratification from them.

Sincerely your Excellency, someone said that things have improved at the High Commission,but what are the challenges?
Thank God for that notification. We are trying to do a lot at least make our Commission befitting our status in the comity of nations. That is why I am not happy you people are not visiting us . Next time you are in the UK. I will like to host you. We have opened the doors of the Mission to anybody in need of any assistance. We have also created a dialogue between us - the Nigerian High Commission and the UK government. We have a UK/Nigeria forum pertaining to immigration, whereby those who are qualified to stay, even if they don’t have passport, we try to grant one once we have evidence that the government is willing to grant them stay. This is ongoing, and if you want to confirm this, you can ask your friends. The challenges are many and varied. Firstly , we can do with more funding .We have over 2million Nigerians in the UK .The bigger the head, the bigger the trouble .Also ,UK is very central to Nigeria .We need special funding .

We learnt that UK prisons are full to the brim with Nigerians?
I don’t know about the full to the brim you are talking of. Nigerians are not the only sets of people in UK prisons. when I came here in 2008, there were about 886 Nigerians in UK prison. As of today, we have less than 500, and this is slowly getting less and we are interacting with them. Many of those in prison, when they express willingness to go home we get their consent in writing and get the necessary process ongoing. Government of Britain provides them assistance, and every month there must be a flight carrying such people.

Sir,one thing which seems to be fundamental yet elusive to Nigerian in UK is the right to vote. You will agree that disenfranchising almost 2million Nigerians is criminal, unfair and against undemocratic. And the people here are making this point ,drumming it repeatedly that they want to exercise their right ,what are you doing to these?
I also believe in this struggle. Our people must participate in who rule them. We are working seriously on this. We had conveyed their requests home. You know that I am a former legislator, and I know how this thing is done. I cannot do it by shouting from here. No individual can do it, except through the National Assembly; through the amendment of the constitution. Once it is permitted that Nigerians outside Nigeria can also vote, which means that the law of Nigeria is being amended. It will be our own responsibility to make sure that during elections, whether presidential or gubernatorial, they will vote here.

As the Ambassador here, you must have seen a lot, learnt a lot about Nigerians here .What is your advice to Nigerians struggling to come to Uk?
Yes, I have .Majority of Nigerians here make me proud while the activities of the very intangible few sometimes turn my joy into sadness. My advice is anybody who has nothing tangible to do in UK should stay in Nigeria and continue to enjoy his or her tuwo shitafa, pounded yam or edikaikan. It is no use coming to Britain to become useless or a nuisance to the system. You are more useful and appreciated in Nigeria than coming here in search of an elusive and a mirage fortune. You don’t pick money on the floor here .If you don’t have something concrete to do here in Britain stay in Nigeria and it will better for you.

Please don’t believe the tale of easy life, easy money, and easy fortune . It is all lies. You are better off in Nigeria.


http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/tourism/30577-if-you-have-nothing-tangible-to-do-please-dont-come-to-uk-ambassador-dalhatu-tafida

For real!

Let them move elsewhere na.
Na london una wan run down ni?

too late, we re here already.