Nigeria backs UK ban on... NIGERIAN!

Ola · (#1 (**permalink**))

From this week's New Nation's front page...

"The Nigerian High Commission has backed the UK government’s ban on young Nigerians who want to visit Britain.

The Foreign Office announced two weeks ago that first-time visitors to the UK from Nigeria who are aged between 18 and 30 will automatically be refused a visa to enter the country until 2006.

The British High Commission in Abuja and Deputy High Commission in Lagos have been instructed not to accept applications until further notice.

Nigerians who have travelled to the UK in the past will still be able to enter Britain, but their adult children will be refused entry unless they have also been here before.

Students coming to the UK to study and current Business Express customers will be allowed to apply for a visa and enter the country. The ban, which was announced on the day of Pope John Paul II’s funeral, came into effect last Monday.

Joel Udegbunam, minister for information at the Nigerian High Commission, told New Nation: ‘The UK is quite right. Giving a visa is an act of national sovereignty. Every nation can decide conditions for foreigners entering their country.

‘We give our own visa to UK citizens going to Nigeria. We also have our own conditions. They were kind enough to inform us and we appreciate the explanation they gave – that it’s a temporary measure.’

The Foreign Office says embassies are receiving up to 18,000 visa applications a month in Lagos and 5,000 in Abuja. Nearly 5,000 applications come from first-time visitors, and current refusal rates have hit 80 per cent.

A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘The reason we are doing this is in order to review how the system is currently run and hopefully instigate reforms to make the system more efficient.
‘We haven’t given a time frame for how long the ban is going to last. We hope to get the service back up and running by 2006.’

The latest immigration control echoes similar restrictions imposed on other countries with a predominantly black population.

Tony Blair, who is battling to win a third term as Prime Minister, was branded a ‘hypocrite’ when a leaked memo last June revealed that he wanted to cut two-thirds of applicants to the Working Holidaymaker Scheme from New Commonwealth countries, including Kenya, Jamaica and Nigeria.

In 2003, the Home Office announced that visa restrictions would be imposed on Jamaicans. Tauhid Pasha, legal policy advisor for the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: ‘If this decision were implemented in immigration rules and legislation then it wouldn’t pass parliament because it’s discriminatory.’"

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Well, least my family's sorted. nigeflagblkbrukteetnigeflagblkbrukteet

We already know what a sorry state this country's immigration policies are, but I can't think what the Nigerian's HC's motives are...

gotbase · (#2 (**permalink**))

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The British government is starting to show it's true cards. The next 20 years will be make or break. They will determine whether this country will become a true multi racial society, or whether it'll revert back to it's homogenous monoracial old days. If they put a halt on immigration from non-white countries, then I think a lot of minorities will leave UK and the whole of Europe, and migrate to the US and Canada.

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Makes you wonder which party to vote for. the Conservatives with their son of a (white) immigrant, seems worse, his official stance is to put a quota on immigration, particulalry immigration from non-EU countries (basically non-white immigration). So I don't think I'll be voting for that hypocriticalbulgarian *******.

Labour seem to have similar policies to conservatives, just painted with a different surface. I think the Lib Dems are probably the only real party that have alternative policies which will embrace immigration of non-whites. but then again Charles kennedy is a ginger-nut, with a scottish accent, for some reason i can't see him being PM.

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These stats are pretty interesting though. There seems to be a lot of Nigerians that wish to come to the UK, (18,000 from Lagos, 5,000 from Abuja), theres probably as much as 30,000/month, 400,000 Nigerians/year wanting to get visas to come to the uk. Which is quite a lot, over 10 years that'd work out as 4million, but only 20% are accepted which would be is 800,000/decade. considering Nigeria is about the size of Pakistan, and there are roughly 800,000 Pakistanis in the uk. I think it's only fair that they give Nigerians the same chance as they have Pakistanis, and other South Asians. the UK should be happy that so many Nigerians wish to come here.

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I think it's a case of the UK government needing immigrants, but wants only thelightest ones it can get. This is why the UK government wants to let in the Eastern Europeans, and is why the UK government opted for South Asian immigrants over African immigrants.

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I hope a lot of these Nigerians, and other refused immigrants from black countries get in illegally anyway.

Iolite · (#3 (**permalink**))

I'm not qaulified to discuss British politics in depth, seeing as how I'm an American, but please explain what's so wrong about the UK wanting to ban certain groups? I believe that African countries should reserve the right to decide who they let into, and detest the European presence in parts of the continent. It should work both ways, shouldn't it? Besides, a great deal of the immigrants are well-educated professionals. They'd help their countries more by staying and trying to improve it.

SmoothJazz · (#4 (**permalink**))

Gotbase

I disagree with you on this. I was in Nigeria last month andwe really need our brightest and best to stay and fix the country. I visited our schools and hospitals and they are crying our for good people. How can we move forward when our professionals are dreaming of leaving?To use an Igbo saying "If my father's house is in disrepair, do Igo and squat in my neighbour's house". So I'm glad if Nigerians are forced to stay in Nigeria then they might focus on national improvement rather than self improvement.It may sound harsh but that is what is needed.

LadyDay · (#5 (**permalink**))

would you believe white brits think its ok to have controls on people coming here but feel they should go where they please. cha b-c

COLTRANE · (#6 (**permalink**))

@smoothjazz

thats total crap

its a free world and since both NIgeria and UK agreed on free markets economy then they should face the consequences afterall how can you stop anyone moving from one place to another in search of better life?

if you refuse them to come legally then they will come ilegally..in otherwords:GLOBALIZATION and in it everyone counts be it some one who lives in London or some guy who is in KADUNA

Lady Charmer · (#7 (**permalink**))

THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS 2 THE NIGERIANS, THEY SHOULD BE DOIN IT 2 THE KOSOVANS, TURKISH, ALBAINIAN THEY ARE JUST LITTERING UP THE PLACE, THEY ARE UNTIDY AND THEY ALWAYS LIKE MAKING MOVES TO ME, LOOKIN AT MY BUM 2 SAY I WOULD EVER DO ANYTHING WITH THEM, ERRRRRRRRRRR sport-smileyMAKE ME FEEL SICK..

Bredder Tukoma · (#8 (**permalink**))

As a non Nigerian I would say ultimately it must be good for the country.

To have your young population leaving Nigeria in such droves and seemingly not even 50% returning is a big drain on the countries resources.

There should be Nigerian government sponsered programs for training in the West at the most. Then bring them back home where they are needed.

gotbase · (#9 (**permalink**))

SmoothJazz wrote:

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Gotbase

I disagree with you on this. I was in Nigeria last month andwe really need our brightest and best to stay and fix the country. I visited our schools and hospitals and they are crying our for good people. How can we move forward when our professionals are dreaming of leaving?To use an Igbo saying "If my father's house is in disrepair, do Igo and squat in my neighbour's house". So I'm glad if Nigerians are forced to stay in Nigeria then they might focus on national improvement rather than self improvement.It may sound harsh but that is what is needed.

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Ok well that's a true point, brain drain. but heres some points i'd like to point out, and think about:

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1. it depends on the numbers really. for instance if there are 1 million extra educated people in Nigeria every year, and only 50,000 emigrate to the UK, USA, Canada etc. everyyearthen it's not impacting much (i.e. that'd only be 5%). - That's just an example i don't know the figures, but I don't think every educated Nigerian is leaving (since there is an 80%refusal rate, suggests a lot of Nigerians that want to leave arent leaving). - I'm sure not all Nigerians that emigrate to the UK are highly educated, many are likely dependents (children, spouses), and chain migration works with illegals too, e.g. people coming here to visit, and overstaying their visit - this policy is planning to prevent that, so that the only Nigerians that come here are the most highly skilled, or those with the most money that can pay for a british university education etc. - They're basically trying to increase the brain drain by only taking the smartest & wealthiest Nigerians. They don't want to be helping out immigrants, they want immigrants to be helping out them. just like black people have been doing for whites for the past 500 years. White people only like it when the conditions suit them.

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2.Nigeria is a poor country. The economic income differential between Nigeria and the UK is so large (Nigera GDP PPP $900 vsUK GDP PPP $27,700), that Nigerians living in the UK should be able to send a small sum of their income back to Nigeria to help out other Nigerians. This is actually big money, the individual Nigerians that will receive the money will feel the effect of this a lot, and also particular regions of the country (if immigrant sources concentrate in particular towns), andthe entire nation will feel the effect. For instance in the US, with the large Mexican-American diaspora ( http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...es&spell=1) Mexican-American capital has made some states & cities of Mexico very wealthy. Hopefully the same will happen for Nigeria.

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http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=5014

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"Every year, more than $30 billion in family remittances flows from the United States to Latin America. This money encourages economic growth, and many countries actually get more in remittances than from foreign investment. In addition, this money goes to those who need it most, helping to lift people out of poverty. However, a recent Columbia University study warns these countries against relying on remittances. Apart from the fact that the remittances go more toward buying consumer goods than in investing in small business, even that money flow might dry up. The report concludes that remittances will fall as women and children begin to reunite with their families overseas. However, an economist states that ''As long as the region's economies don't grow substantially faster and generate more job opportunities, migration is going to continue, and remittances will continue.'' - YaleGlobal"

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3. Based on the two previous points. It's basically the idea of not putting all your eggs in one basket.It's good for a 3rd world country to have a fairly large diaspora that lives mostly in the 1st worldsince it can help out when there is problems back home. For instance remember the asian tsunami disaster. London contributed nearly33% of all the money raised for victims of the asian tsunami in the uk, and London only accounts for 12% of the uk population. Some of the donations were focused on aid for specific regions such as Sri lanka, Indonesia, or Somalia. and thus based on the ethnic composition of minorities in London, determined some groups receiving more funding. e.g. London has a large Sri lankan population, and also a large Somali population. notice Somalia which was least affected received more aid than Thailand. At the end of the day it boils down to this, white people, and the white governments are not prepared to fund non-white countries as much as non-white people are. whether for Disaster aid or FDI (foreign-direct-investment), in many cases it's the diasporas that contribute most of thefunding (as the article says with Latinos in the US sending more in remittances, than the recipient countries receive in Aid or FDI). - I'm sure many of you have experienced it... when theres a big storm in Jamaica, all your jamaican relatives living in britian put their money together or anyother resources you have to help out. so diasporas are important for many reasons.

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here's the article from The Londoner...

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COLTRANE · (#10 (**permalink**))

Lady Charmer wrote:

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THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS 2 THE NIGERIANS, THEY SHOULD BE DOIN IT 2 THE KOSOVANS, TURKISH, ALBAINIAN THEY ARE JUST LITTERING UP THE PLACE, THEY ARE UNTIDY AND THEY ALWAYS LIKE MAKING MOVES TO ME, LOOKIN AT MY BUM 2 SAY I WOULD EVER DO ANYTHING WITH THEM, ERRRRRRRRRRR sport-smileyMAKE ME FEEL SICK..

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@ladycharmer

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I disagree with you..they shouldnt do this to anyone regadless of who they are coz once they start withose that you mentioned what makes you think they wont come to you?

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wrong is wrong regardless who the person is.

COLTRANE · (#11 (**permalink**))

mansamusa wrote:

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As a non Nigerian I would say ultimately it must be good for the country.

To have your young population leaving Nigeria in such droves and seemingly not even 50% returning is a big drain on the countries resources.

There should be Nigerian government sponsered programs for training in the West at the most. Then bring them back home where they are needed.

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@mansamusa

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well..unless you wanna discuss AFRICANS BRAIN DRAIN that i would suggest you start it as a separate thread

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having said that I think Even unskilled workers are benefitial for the society, as long as they are employed.

have the right to move there they want, even if they aren't Malawians.

I think we need to give families more freedom in planning their own way of living, to improve birthrates

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Freedom of moving is one of the best way for a country to rebuild themselves, what happens when unemployed people aren't allowed to move where the job are? It's of course bad for both places.