Your Excellency, Ambassador George Adesola Oguntade, CFR, CON,
Permit me to quickly congratulate you on your recent appointment as the Nigeria High Commissioner to the Courts of St. James in London by President Muhammadu Buhari.
We saw the colourful photographs of the 'royal' reception given to you and wife at the Buckingham Palace, all the way from Nigeria High Commission at Northumberland Avenue in central London to meet Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, probably for the first time in your life.
I am writing this open letter to you because I know there are many 'faceless' government agents on social media and they would surely draw your attention to this open letter, and also some Nigerians in Scotland may also alert you of this letter.
If I had sent this letter through the High Commission in London, you're not likely to receive it due to the Nigerian factor of bureaucracy. That's another topic for another day.
This is an open letter and the whole world must surely read my views. As simple as ABC.
I recently saw a poster on social media announcing your scheduled visit to Scotland on Saturday, March 24th, 2018, being organised by Nigerian Community Scotland(NCS).
It is tagged as a TOWN HALL MEETING. To the best of my knowledge, no planned protest to disrupt this event because for now, Nigerians in Scotland undoubtedly regard you as a father and an elderly friend unless otherwise stated.
This is not the first time that officials of the Nigeria High Commission from London shall be visiting Scotland to discuss ideas and listen to views of Nigerians living in Scotland and your visit cannot be the last.
Your Excellency Sir, I can comfortably tell you that such past visits had no positive impact for Nigerians living in Scotland. Many people regarded the whole exercise as a jamboree.None of our recommendations is implemented to date. Same old story after speaking plenty grammar!
Nigerians in the United Kingdom are tired of listening to 'sweet' nothing, propaganda, official lies and rhetorics of government officials whose main work is to attend to the welfare of Nigerians living (legally or illegally!) in the United Kingdom but these well-paid officials always treat fellow Nigerians with utter disdain and disregard for human dignity. I am not here to open a can of worms.
Your Excellency Sir, I won't tell you about the unprofessional attitude of some of the staff working at the Nigerian High Commission in London when Nigerians are desperately in need of passports or visas. You may need to re-train many of them to treat fellow Nigerians with respect and dignity.
I am sure you're not going to tell us all the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari in Glasgow because Nigerians in the diaspora are always in touch with Nigerians living in Nigeria for regular updates. The whole world is now a global village. Nothing is hidden anymore.
Your Excellency Sir, permit me to make a passionate request and if you're able to achieve this project during your tenure as our ambassador, it would engrave your name in gold in many hearts.
The largest percentage of Nigerians in Scotland are living and working in Scotland.
What's the cost of having a consular office in Glasgow to attend to the passport/visa applications of Nigerians in Scotland?
Nigerians(living in Scotland) don't need to be travelling to London to apply for Nigerian passport and visa(for Nigerian-British passport holders).
We have been demanding for a consulate in Scotland for over 10 years without any positive solution.
Do we need to engage in 'fasting and prayer' for the Almighty God to touch the heart of Nigerian government before this miracle of establishing a consular office in Glasgow can happen during our lifetime?
Your Excellency Sir, don't come up with usual excuse that Nigeria is broke and can no longer finance another consulate in Glasgow because London is roughly 10 hours drive from Glasgow and about 6 hours by train and less than 2 hours by air. Enough of such gibberish stories!
Can I really count on you to establish a Consular Office in Glasgow as urgent as possible?
Former acting High Commissioner, when asked the same question once, replied in an undiplomatic manner. Permit me to paraphrase his immortal words:"Can you compare the cost and stress of travelling to London and Nigeria when applying for a Nigerian passport? It is still cheaper to travel to London to apply for your passport and visa instead of travelling to Nigeria?"
From my own personal experience, Nigerian government officials don't always listen to all the suggestions and recommendations of Nigerians in the diaspora.
Nobody is ready to waste time and energy to meet any Nigerian government official in the diaspora to discuss same old topics back and forth without any meaningful and visible progress.
Many Nigerians need to work under this unfriendly cold weather and pay their bills! That's the bitter truth.
Maybe your own approach(as a retired judge!) is going to be different and as the English maxim says, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." We shall be watching you, Sir.
As a retired judge of the federal republic of Nigeria, you must be very familiar with this Latin catchphrase often attributed to Aristotle:"Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas" translating to "Plato is my friend, but truth is a better friend."
Your Excellency Sir, if you're truly our father in the United Kingdom and our loyal friend, you must take the welfare of all Nigerians in the United Kingdom as a serious matter.
For now, on behalf of Nigerians living in the United Kingdom, I wish to call you as an AKOREDE and I hope we won't change that unique sobriquet into another unprintable name.
In conclusion, I warmly welcome you and your entourage to the iconic city of Glasgow in Scotland and all the views to be discussed shall stay permanently in your heart for full implementation.
As they enter through your right ear, never to escape through the left ear,
such views must constantly prick your conscience as the Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Thank you for reading my long open letter. I hope to meet you 'face-to-face' one day.
Your Revolutionary Compatriot,
Comrade Dare Lasisi.
Former Commonwealth Secretariat Media Intern.
Social media activist, Writer, and Blogger.
