NIGERIA-AMERICA VISA MALADY.

NIGERIA-AMERICA VISA MALADY.

Recently, the whole world witnessed the drama that ensued between Nigeria and the United States of America. It wasn’t funny at all. Here is the gist of the matter.

Nigerian government recently increased the visa fee for US citizens who want Nigerian visa for one reason or the so other. In retaliation, the US government too (through their embassy in Nigeria) announced that Nigerians will now have to pay about forty dollars extra to receive their US visa even after it had been approved.

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Nigeria US Embassy Tussle.

To start with, I think America is playing with Nigeria’s destiny. I can’t imagine an American coming to Nigeria for any other reason apart from coming here to make money at our expense or in rare cases, for tourism. Whereas, Nigerians are sleeping in front of the US embassy day and night, fasting and praying that they should be granted the US visa. You should go to the US embassy in Lagos if you have never been there before, it is a shame and the reality an average Nigerian is facing. Nigerians give testimonies in church and throw big parties just to have their visa application to be granted by the US government even if they have to be washing toilet in the US with their BSc. or even master’s degree holders. This is our reality. Nigerian-American relationship is that of parasitism. In this case, we are the prey and America is the parasite. This parasitism is in almost every facet of our live as a nation.

Nigeria began to charge $160 USD for USA citizens who want to get the Nigerian visa some weeks ago. In retaliation, the US embassy in Nigeria imposed a compulsory, non-refundable $40 collection fee for Nigerians whose visa application had been approved by the US government at the point of collection despite the processing fee that must have been paid by such individuals. This policy and counter-policy became a hot topic in the League of Nations of the world. Many people find this hilarious.

To me, America is being shameless. This move by the US embassy if (it was approved by the US government) shows the selfishness of the country that always parades itself as a helper to us. The Nigerian government increased the application fee in order to raise our national income. As a country that is just coming out of recession, Nigeria needs to use every possible means (including increment in visa application fee) to boost the ailing economy though most of these money will be embezzled before it reaches the top, yet the little that reaches the coffers of the national wallet will do some things.

A Nigerian working in a foreign country.

Going by exchange rate in both countries, it is three hundred and sixty three times easier for an American to raise the money to get the Nigerian visa than a poor Nigerian to raise the money which will be over a hundred thousand naira. With hundred thousand naira, most Nigerians will start businesses and feed their families with the proceeds. The same amount to an average American is what will finish within a week. This is a huge gap between America and Nigeria but US government doesn’t understand this. They think Nigeria is just trying to be unfair to their citizens. This same USA buys crude oil from Nigeria at ridiculous prices, refine it and resell it back to us at heartbreaking prices. We cannot blame them though; it is the fault of the Nigerian leaders who are greedy enough to put their personal interests over our national interests. If our leaders had been responsible, they would have built a (functioning) refinery here and put an end to this economy robbery. But no, they have their own cuts over every exported crude oil barrel and imported refined oil. So this ungodly cheating was padded with diplomatic gloves and we call it foreign trade.

Nigerians in front of US Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria.

Going by standard of living, the standard of living in Nigeria is so low that most Nigerians live below a dollar per day. A more friendly country would have overlooked the difference and let Nigeria put a few paltry dollars on the visa application fee but no, America comes first in all situations. The USA government has to fight over every penny, (like a Nigerian house wife in a local market) with Nigeria instead of subsidizing it for her citizens if worst comes to worst but no, Nigeria must compromise even when USA is not ready to change her stance. Nigeria will remain a loyal and obedient servant that we are and will always be if things keep going this way.

(…To be continued later)

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