Victoria
Ordu & Ihuoma Amadi
... By Funmi Macaulay
I am surprised that I have not read in any media, local
or international, about efforts by the Nigerian government to help two Nigerian
students who have been on deportation list in Canada for a 'crime' that makes
mockery of the very ideals that western societies proud themselves on - hard
work. Victoria Ordu and Ihuoma Amadi, 20 and 21 respectively, having been holed
up in the basement of a church in Canada - not for document forgery. No, not
for 419, internet scam or fake marriage, but for attempting to work and earn
decent stipends to augment what they get from home.
The news media in Canada has been awash with the reports
since June 2012 when the two University of Regina students took refuge in a
church hoping that the Canadian authorities will forgive them for working in
Walmart for two weeks. The issue here is
that the student visa they carry permits them to work on campus but not
outside. The students have in their
various interviews stated that they stopped the Walmart jobs immediately they
became aware of the restriction. But the
Canada authorities have simply refused to budge.
Maybe the situation has lingered the way it is because of
the green color of the passport they carry.
I doubt that the Canadian authorities would have held their grounds the
way they've done for almost a year now if these two students were Americans,
Indians, Chinese or even South Africans. As one born of Nigerian parents in the
US, I have the privilege of knowing how it feels traveling with the Nigerian
passport and that of the US.
it is instructive that while Walmart that employed the
students have gone without any rebuke from the government, these two young
ladies have remained imprisoned in a church basement for more than nine months
now without knowing what day light looks like.
While immigration authorities accepted that Walmart had made an honest
mistake in their hiring practices, the same leniency wasn’t granted to the
students.
“Walmart was given the benefit of the doubt, while the
students weren’t,” said Michelle Stewart, one of the Canadians campaigning for
the release of the two Nigerians. “The
most common response to this type of infraction is a fine of $320,” said
Stewart. "This is Canada, but it
feels like hell for us," Ihuoma said in an interview with CBS Canada.
"We feel forgotten here, nothing is happening at all."
Friends and well-wishers of these two students have in
the last nine months mounted pressure on the Canadian government, but not much
has been achieved. I have been involved in the social media campaign to drum
support for these innocent young Nigerians, but much as the protests on and off
line continues to grow, the Canadian authorities have remained hard-heartened.
Canada holds strong trade relations with Nigeria and is
hoping to grow its economic presence in the country as a springboard to reach
the rest of Africa. Being Canada's largest trading partner in sub-Saharan
Africa should serve as an incentive in extracting the right government action
on diplomatic matters like this. This is the time for Nigeria to flex some
diplomatic and economic muscles.
I remember when the reclusive North Korean government
arrested two US journalists and sentenced them to 12 years imprisonment with
hard labour for illegally entering the country.
President Obama sent former president Clinton to the country and in 24
hours those two lady journalists were released to join their families. Nigeria,
by virtue of its economic and strategic might, can achieve similar result when
efforts are made from the top.
I expect President Jonathan's government to act now. Please save Victoria and Ihuoma from what
their lawyer has described as 'honest mistake'.
Ms Macaulay wrote in from New York
http://saharareporters.com/article/president-jonathan-please-save-victoria-and-ihuoma-funmi-macaulay
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