When it was reported that South Africa deported over one hundred Nigerians last week there was so much out cry against the decision of the South African government. A lot as been said about this issue but I want to comment as a travel consultant based in Nigeria.
It is a known fact that South Africa requests for yellow fever vaccination card from Nigerians travelling to their country. This has gone on for so long that I do not understand what the uproar is about. In my opinion, the issue is not about whether it is right or wrong for SA to make whatever request they desire of Nigerians, it is rather about the way Nigerians flout every known orders given to them. To get a yellow fever vaccination card in Nigeria, you only have to go to the airport on a day that there is a Johannesburg bound flight. This I feel is wrong and criminal but since we've done it for so long without any repercussion(s), we have all collectively assumed it is right.
If it is "wrong" for SA to make this request of us, I wonder why it took our government and all her officials, who have been granting interviews all around, the deportation of over a hundred people for them to notice it is wrong, perhaps they buy their own yellow fever vaccination card at the airport also.
I am not in any way saying what SA did to Nigerians is right but I think morally, we have failed as much as they have failed, if not more.
If you must enter USA, no matter your nationality if your country is visa free, you fill the ESTA form, simple, that's their rule, you either abide by it or you get turned back.
LESSON: To my readers and clients alike, it is necessary that you have correct and genuine documentation(s) for any country you are travelling to as the fact that you have your visa does not give you automatic entry into that country. lol
I agree that it is the right of any sovereign nation to determine its entry clearance qualifications, however, given the shabby way that SA has treated Nigeria and Nigerians in the past, i am not so sure that this is just about entry clearance violations.
ReplyDeleteIf Nigeria has not been known to record a case of Yellow Fever in the past 20 years or more, why would SA still insist on a yellow fever card. As far as i know, i have never received a vaccine for yellow fever, except maybe as a little child (only my parents can tell).
Travelers to the UK, USA, Dubai, Switzerland, and many other nations are not required to produce a yellow fever card on traveling to these nations. Is SA saying that these nations do not know what they are about?
In addition, we all know the epidemic nature of AIDs and Tuberculosis in SA and i do not see where their Government insists that their people must produce HIV free certificates or TB free certificates before they can leave the country, or where Nigeria asks them for this.
In all, i reserve blame for our Government on one hand, as this issue should have been dealt with years ago, either you establish a yellow fever vaccination center at the airport for those traveling to SA or you negotiate with the SA government to let Nigerians off this yellow fever stuff, as much as there are no known cases of yellow fever in the country.
On the other hand, i think the South African Government should take the greater part of the blame as they know they have had a history of 'hating' Nigerians and this episode has not helped their image any better. They could have been more proactive in dealing with this.
I am delighted with the actions of the Nigerian government in this regard and pray that they will not stop with SA alone, but will extend this treatment to other nations that have been 'hating' on Nigeria.
And for your information, Nigerians do not have a monopoly on bad behavior. You need to see what the citizens of other nations do! I am not condoning any lawless act, I just feel that Nigerians are made the scapegoat for a lot of other things going wrong.
I believe in my country and pray that God will bring forth good leaders to help us make this country what it should be.
My write up was more as a travel consultant than as any other thing. Believe me I am a Nigerian that believe in the project called Nigeria but I also want a kind of government that will not only react to issues but also act. I am glad that You also accept the fact that this yellow fever vaccination issue should have been taken up by us prior to now, doing this will not only help change the SA case, it will also tell the whole world we are a country that wants to be treated right cos we deserve it. In all of this, may God give us and may we know how to know and choose the leaders that will give us this and many more, lol
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