“Senator Ali Ndume Criticizes Nigeria’s International Presence After Visa Denial Incident”
Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the Nigerian Senate, has raised concerns over the way Nigerian leaders are perceived on the international stage, suggesting that they do not show themselves the respect needed. His remarks followed the recent denial of a visa to Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Christopher Musa, by the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria.
General Musa was set to attend an event in Canada honoring fallen soldiers, but was unexpectedly denied a visa. In a statement made at the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) in Abuja, General Musa confirmed that both he and other military leaders were denied visas to travel for the event. He commented, “Every disappointment is a blessing. Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada… there’s an event to honour our veterans, those injured during battles, and we were meant to be there.”
In response, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu condemned the Canadian embassy’s actions, stating that the country could “go to hell” for its treatment of the Nigerian officials. The Canadian authorities, however, cited “privacy reasons” and refused to explain why they denied the visas.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, also criticized the incident, labeling it disrespectful to Nigeria, and urging that the embassy’s actions demonstrated a lack of respect toward the nation.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Senator Ndume offered his perspective on the situation, emphasizing that Nigerian leaders must first show self-respect before expecting respect from others. He suggested that Nigerian officials should have approached the Canadian embassy with a formal invitation, which could have served as a basis for the visa request. He also pointed out that if a visa is denied, the leaders should not travel.
Ndume reflected on his own stance as a senator, explaining that despite his long tenure in the National Assembly, he has chosen not to travel abroad frequently, as he believes his responsibility is to Nigeria. He continued, “You have to respect yourself first. I don’t go anywhere, and I’m a Senator. For the past 15-20 years, I’ve been in the National Assembly. I don’t need to go anywhere. Nigeria is my country.”
The senator’s comments bring attention to the need for Nigerian leaders to reexamine their international engagements, and how such incidents of visa denials might highlight a broader issue of self-respect and national dignity.
