Nelson Mandela, a Legendary World Icon and freedom fighter (of blessed memory), in response to a question on why he retracted a statement against an associate whom he once accused of colluding with external forces to incarcerate him for 27 years, opined that “only a fool refuses to change his position when confronted with new information”.

Recently, I had personal virtual encounters with Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigeria’s interior minister, and Alhaji Bashir Aminu, the head of immigration desk at the Nigerian High Commission in London, United Kingdom.

The two encounters were in respect of the article I recently authored on the corrupt and inefficient practices that exist in the Nigerian passport issuance system.

The article, which was published by major media platforms in Nigeria, garnered widespread attention, making me realise how big an issue getting a Nigerian passport, especially in the United Kingdom, had been. The research-driven article reached prominent figures, including the Tunji-Ojo himself. My contacts in the presidency told me that the article was thoroughly analysed, and that President Bola Tinubu also got the report.

Last weekend, one of my associates called to inform me that the Minister of Interior wanted to speak with me on the issues I raised, and I agreed. After all, he is our minister, and he serves Nigerians.

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During the conversation that lasted about 20 minutes, Tunji-Ojo apologised profusely and took responsibility for the inefficiencies that I and many Nigerians had experienced in order to get a Nigerian passport in the UK.

He began by acknowledging improvements in the passport registration system at home in Nigeria, though he admitted that the issues in London were more like a generational rot that had been in existence far before his emergence as minister.

He condemned the additional £150 postal order charge that Nigerians who applied to replace their passports in the UK were being forced to pay, explaining that the only fee recognised by law was the passport application fee of $162.

He added that the postal order of £20 was charged by the High Commission and not the Nigerian Immigration Service. He expressed shock on why some applicants were being charged £150 for postal order, a service meant to deliver passports to the home of applicants within the UK. This happened despite applicants being instructed to come for biometric capturing with a royal mail delivery envelope which costs about £10 per applicant.

Tunji-Ojo also sincerely apologised for the outrageous amount that I spent, which amounted to almost £180. The sum was beyond the application fee of $162 I had paid to the Nigerian Immigration Service.

In his words, “the practice is despicable, illegal, and fraudulent”. He then assured me that such charges would no longer be tolerated.

I explained to him how the charges had handicapped me in taking my children to the Nigerian High Commission for their passport replacement and he urged me to return to the High Commission to renew their passports, guaranteeing that no further illegal payments would be demanded.

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WAYS FORWARD

Tunji-Ojo explained that addressing the passport issuance challenges, particularly in countries like the UK, USA, and Canada, is a long-term battle. He posited that in these countries, passport issuance processes need to be decentralised and digitalised. He cited the example of Canada, where some Nigerians would fly for almost 16 hours just to do biometric capturing.

The minister spoke about his plans, which are underway to open additional passport capturing centres in the UK cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Cardiff so as to make the process more accessible and flexible.

The minister also informed me of the upcoming shift from the current physical and traditional passport renewal system towards a contactless system as currently being done by UK Visa (UKVI). He confirmed that within the next few months, Nigerians worldwide will no longer need to visit immigration offices to renew their passport as they will be able to complete the process online through their phones.

This innovation, already in place at the UK Home Office as I said earlier, will allow applicants to scan the QR code on their expired passport to reactivate their previous biometric, upload their photo, submit and have their passports delivered to their respective homes without the need for physical visits to immigration offices.

According to Tunji-Ojo, this development will not only streamline the process but also reduce or eliminate corruption in the passport issuance section.

After my conversation with the minister, I also received a call from Alhaji Bashir Aminu, the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration in charge of the immigration desk at the Nigerian High Commission in London.

He buttressed the minister’s concerns about corruption, stating that the illegal charges I paid were unfortunate and despicable. He said contrary to some negative beliefs, booking appointment for biometric capturing is done centrally worldwide from Abuja and his own duty, like his colleagues in other High Commissions, is basically to capture applicants who booked appointment online and issue passports to them.

Aminu assured me that the issues I encountered had been addressed and invited me to return for my kids’ passport replacement. I agreed.

Although I was sceptical at first, I eventually decided to give them a benefit of the doubt and visited the Nigerian High Commission on Monday, September 30.

When I arrived at the Nigeria High Commission in London with my kids, we were promptly attended to. We presented our papers, and their details were updated, pictures were captured, and within 30 minutes, the passports were handed over to me. I did not pay any additional fees for postal orders or delivery.

OTHER TESTIMONIES

My experience was surprising and thrilling. I was amazed at the coordination and newfound speed at which the high commission operated. I then wanted to be sure of the new development and find out if there was anything shady going on underground.

Using my investigative skills, I interrogated several individuals at the High Commission to get their views on the new development. They confirmed that the illegal fees I had experienced were no longer being demanded as I only have to pay £20 for postal order and not £150.

Elizabeth Adebayo, one of the people I interviewed, said people used to queue from 4 am at the commission in the past for passport biometric capturing and then wait for two or three months for their passports to be available.

She further said once you do biometric capturing now, you will get your passport in your house within or less than 48 hours.

Juliet Uche, a Nottingham resident who was at the Nigerian High Commission with her cousin, told me that when she visited London to capture, she did not go home straight as she had to check after a family in North London and before arriving at her home the next day, her passport was already waiting for her.

Thus, it is now evident that Tunji-Ojo and Bashir Aminu have acted swiftly and decisively to address the issues I raised in my previous article. The changes implemented, particularly at the High Commission in London, are a clear sign of the leadership’s commitment to improving the system.

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CONCLUSION

This experience has changed my perception of Nigeria and our political leaders as a whole. For instance, Tunji-Ojo, without sounding patronising, is not only engaging and responsive but also willing to take responsibility and effect real change.

The system is not perfect, and there is still much to be done, but the new improvements I witnessed first-hand show that progress is possible when leaders are willing to listen and act.

It is important that we continue to encourage and support leaders like Tunji-Ojo and Bashir Aminu, who are working to eliminate corruption and improve the lives of Nigerians, both at home and in the diaspora.

In just five days, I have witnessed a transformation in Nigeria’s passport issuance system in the UK. The illegal charges have been eliminated, and the efficiency of the process has greatly improved. This change is proof of the power of accountability, data-driven decision-making, and leadership that listens to the grievances of its people.

I congratulate Tunji-Ojo and Bashir Aminu for their efforts, and I urge President Tinubu to protect and support these leaders so that they are not caged by corrupt elements as they continue to work towards a better Nigeria. If Bashir Aminu’s style could be adopted as the new direction of Nigeria’s public service, then there could be hope for us all.

Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye is a strategic communications expert and real estate broker who resides in the United Kingdom. His email address is maxwelladeleye@gmail.com.

The post Passport Issuance Brouhaha: My Virtual Encounters With Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and Bashir Aminu appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.