Adeyinka Asekun, Nigeria’s high commissioner to Canada, says the country is unfairly denying a lot of Nigerians visas including students.
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NAN reports that Asekun stated this during a webinar on Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary organised by the mission on Thursday evening.
He expressed the hope that the issue would be addressed in the draft bilateral agreement, which both countries have been working on, for better treatment of Nigerians in that regard.
“Canada and Nigeria have for some time been working on a draft agreement that addresses a number of areas of mutual concern to both countries,” he said.
“It is our further hope that a video conference call may be set up next spring latest to finalise the terms of this agreement.
“What is most important about this agreement is that it is likely to address a situation in which a lot of Nigerian citizens are being denied visas when they should actually have been granted the visas.
“We are looking for a situation in which the process will become much fairer and much more predictable.
“And there are provisions in this agreement which will make it possible for us to get much better treatment.”
The envoy said many Nigerians are eager to study in Canada but were denied the opportunity, adding that he hoped the situation would change when the agreement came into effect.
However, Asekun said Nigeria and Canada have shared a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship in various areas since independence in 1960.
He acknowledged the Canadian government’s assistance to Nigeria, including its contribution to the establishment of a laboratory in Lagos in 2014 for effective management of infectious disease following the Ebola outbreak.
Rob Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to the Canadian minister of foreign affairs, said there are 11,000 Nigerian students in Canada.
In a goodwill message on behalf of the minister, Oliphant also highlighted the strong relationship between Nigerian and Canada, although he did not speak on the visa issue mentioned by the ambassador.
“The strong relationship between Canada and Nigeria is built on deep people-to-people ties,” he said.
“Over 50,000 Canadians have Nigerian roots, some of them are my very good personal friends, and today over 11,000 Nigerian students are pursuing their studies in Canada.
“They enrich Canadian universities. Of course, they benefit from Canadian universities, but the benefit they bring to Canada is equal and extremely important.
“Limited air travel does not weaken these important personal ties. In fact, it keeps us keenly looking forward to even more connection and reconnection.”
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