Applying for American, German or British Visa

By

Mr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde

Sabidde@yahoo.com

 

Some years ago two friends of mine were denied visas at the US, German and British embassies even though they separately had all the required and anticipated documents in a two-inch file. All they wanted to do was see the world. By any measurement, they were financially, socially and politically secured and had no intention of “staying away.” Since then none has attempted to secure visas at the aforementioned countries because they considered their experiences harrowing and inhumane. But not so for other Nigerians who make periodic pilgrimage to these and other embassies. Some have taken to going to any embassy -- embassies of third and fourth countries -- or any that will grant them visa.

 

Nigerians just want to get out of Nigeria. And in the process they will do whatever it takes. In doing whatever it takes, these embassies have taken to treating Nigerians badly -- as though they are diseased and less human. Dogs and cats in America and Britain are even treated far better than most Nigerians who visit these embassies. I don’t know what the requirements are for gaining entry into the kingdom of God. But whatever the requirements are, they sure must be less stringent when compared to the sadistic hoops and loops at these embassies. In spite of all the abuse and dehumanizing treatments, we still flock to these embassies. Sadly, the Nigerian government has not seen it fit to caution these embassies in their treatment of Nigerians. Even so, you’d be surprised at what a typical Nigerian would do just for a visa.

 

Some Nigerians no longer think it is enough to just walk into the embassy or consulate with the required documents (proving that one has legitimate business overseas; there are compelling reasons to return to ones homeland; that one has the financial wherewithal to undertake such trip and will not be a burden on the host government, etc, etc). In fact, it would be considered foolhardy to walk into any embassy thinking that presenting mere documents is enough to secure visa. Oh no! You need more; you need much more.

Before stating what else Nigerians do or take to these embassies let me let you in on an instructive story that has been told to me three times.

 

Basically, this is how it goes: In the 1960s a Peace Corp volunteer was traveling through Western Nigeria by way of a lorry. Sitting in front with the driver, the American noticed three things: (1) there was a sticker from the motor registration office; (2) there was the Christian cross; and (3) there was an Ogun emblem. Inquisitive, the American asked the driver why he had the three emblems. The driver responded: “The sticker shows that my vehicle is road-worthy, thus the likelihood of a mechanical failure resulting in an accident is very low. But in case of any contingency, I have faith in the Christian God, hence the cross. He will see me through this journey. But on the unfortunate event that the Christian God and the safety certification fail me; Ogun will come to the rescue…”

 

Essentially, Africans “hedge their bets.” Whatever works for them in their daily lives is what they most likely will do or follow. In this case, all three motifs -- the road-worthy document, the cross and the Ogun serve as protection or defense against accidents and failures and road-related calamities. If A doesn’t work, B or C will work. Or, all three will converge to save the day. Having all three therefore reduces the driver’s risk to zero. It becomes a win-win situation for him. In readiness for the embassies therefore, some Nigerians will (1) gather all the required and anticipated documents; (2) visit the pastor or Imam for special prayers and special rituals; and (3) they will also visit the Babalawo, the Ifa or any spiritual priest. And then there is the “fourth way:” the services of a corrupt embassy or a corrupt government and or private sector official willing to take bribes or exchange one favor for another.

 

According to legends there are pastors and other men of God who specialize in “visa matters.” Whatever ones difficulties may be, and no matter how many times one has been refused a visa, a visit to some of these men will take care of the problem. The fees -- $100- $1000 -- are nonrefundable. Some Nigerians swear by the efficacy of these men of God. However, no one truly knows how useful or what their success rate are; all that is certain is that thousands of Nigerians visit these men on a monthly basis. The men of the Christian God (and their counterparts in the African religion) serve the same function and charge about the same fee. But if you wanted the services of corrupt officials; you must be willing to pay much more, excluding roundtrip ticket and the type of visa, say $2000-$6000.

 

But really, it is difficult to tell what criteria embassies use when granting or denying visa. Some of their requirements don’t make sense at all. People who should be given visa are denied, and those who should be denied visa are given visa. There is no “method to the madness,” hence the need for Nigerians, and indeed, Africans, in taking matters into their own hands. The prevailing uncertainty in who “get what, when and how” perhaps forced Nigerians and other Africans into taking their destiny into their own hands. They hedge their bets.

 

I don’t know whether the statistics will bear me out on this postulation, but my thinking is that the average visa-seeking Nigerian is more educated than the average visa-seeking Japanese, Korean and Chinese, Indian, and Mexican wanting to enter the United States; yet, the percentage of Nigerians who are denied visa are way higher than those from those countries.

 

Something else: Some of these countries, especially the British, should be happy and grateful that Nigerians want to live and school in their country. What is there in Britain, anyways? What is there but an archaic and dilapidating system?

 

Sabidde@yahoo.com