I wish I could say a Big Hurrah for the so-called victory in the removal of Nigeria from the UK red list and the UAE travel restrictions U-Turn but I believe that the leaders reacted for themselves and their families because their children study abroad especially in the UK. If not, why did they leave it so late to react at actions that were clearly discriminatory and biased giving these countries time to play ‘politricks’ and travel apartheid, take advantage of Nigerians and ruin our economy whilst pretending to look into the situation. ‘Enough is enough’.
Why did they not withdraw their children in protest and demand a full refund of their fees because they’re still within their rights to do that this term after which it will not be possible without negotiation?
Why did they not insist that consulates issuing visas to people who can’t use them due to the ban is a ‘no, no’? It’s a robbery of the highest order because the whole family is invested in the trips and holidays with the expenses that come with it.
Why did they not sue countries like the UK for breaking their own contract that has been met with vaccination; insisting on quarantining in their specified ‘hotels from hell’ where people are not fed properly and are exposed to health and safety hazards yet are being charged ridiculous amounts? What, with the viral video clip of people rushing out into the cold to the assembly point from one of such hotels unprepared after the alarm went off and the people might’ve actually then caught the said Covid-19 or the new variant omicron?
Why did they not emulate Major General Tunde Idiagbon when his retaliatory ban on British Airways brought BA considerable problems from loss of earnings to airlines like the British Midlands Airline not surviving despite several attempts to save it and breaking the monopoly that BA had in Nigeria.
Why have they not challenged the UK/the West to release the vaccine ingredients so that different countries can make their own if it’s not about money for them? Does it not make sense that in a global world, having agreed that there’ll be more variants, that the vaccine patent holders release the ingredients to prevent economic wipe out and deaths?
Isn’t it about time that our leaders stood up for their people for once? Isn’t it time for our leaders to begin to invest in our people and country beginning with good hospitals/healthcare system and quality fruitful education so that they can get their medical check ups here and their children get educated here and stop carrying our money/resources to these countries and building other countries?
A Very Exasperated Citizen.
–Angela Morah, United Kingdom