October 13, 2008
SaharaReporters, New York.
A group of Nigerians based in Canada staged protests against the Nigerian government on Saturday in Toronto, effectively prevented the new ambassador to Canada, Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, from attending the "Independence Day Dance". The event was organized by the Nigerian Canadian Association (NCA).
The group said they were tired of celebrating Nigeria’s "Independence Day" when the nation has known no development or independence since the British colonial masters left in 1960. They also took serious objection to the passivity of Nigerians abroad whom they accuse of colluding with bad Nigerian leaders at home either by celebrating their failures in foreign lands or by refusing to do something about the conditions of the Nigerian people.
The group’s leader, Majek Adega, told SaharaReporters that they could not accept a situation where Umaru Yar'Adua would be sending an Ambassador to represent his regime in Canada when everyone knows very well that he did not win any elections. He said, "Yar'Adua is not entitled to nominate an ambassador to represent Nigeria in Canada, where did he derive the legitimacy from to ask anyone to represent him?"
Trouble started when the group signaled their protest intentions at the venue of the event to the NCA. In his response, Prof. Hagher sent word to the protesters asking them to send their letter of complaint for onward remittance to Yar'Adua.
Predictably, that infuriated the group further. Its members loudly rejected the idea, claiming that Nigerian problems are well known to all and sundry and that it was an insult on the intelligence of Nigerians for the ambassador to request that a petition to be written about them for the Nigerian "president".
Although Ambassador Hagher had travelled to Toronto from Ottawa, about 280 miles away, he was effectively prevented from attending the event, which commenced at 6:00p.m. The protesters arrived at the venue ahead of that time at 5:40 PM and took their positions, armed with placards denouncing the Yar'adua government. They did not leave the place until 10:00p.m. When word reached them that the Ambassador had sent someone else to represent him and deliver his speech.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the ambassador was holed up in his hotel room in downtown Toronto. Before dispersing, the group vowed to keep mobilizing all Nigerians abroad, who are dissatisfied with the sorry state of affairs at home to start boycotting official events by the Yar'Adua government until free and fair elections are held.
It is not known whether the Ambassador has reported his experience to Abuja. Analysts say Toronto could be the beginning of similar protests by frustrated Nigerians all over the world to draw the attention of the international community to the terrible conditions at home and send a strong message to the Nigerian government.
A group of Nigerians based in Canada staged protests against the Nigerian government on Saturday in Toronto, effectively prevented the new ambassador to Canada, Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, from attending the "Independence Day Dance". The event was organized by the Nigerian Canadian Association (NCA).
The group said they were tired of celebrating Nigeria’s "Independence Day" when the nation has known no development or independence since the British colonial masters left in 1960. They also took serious objection to the passivity of Nigerians abroad whom they accuse of colluding with bad Nigerian leaders at home either by celebrating their failures in foreign lands or by refusing to do something about the conditions of the Nigerian people.
The group’s leader, Majek Adega, told SaharaReporters that they could not accept a situation where Umaru Yar'Adua would be sending an Ambassador to represent his regime in Canada when everyone knows very well that he did not win any elections. He said, "Yar'Adua is not entitled to nominate an ambassador to represent Nigeria in Canada, where did he derive the legitimacy from to ask anyone to represent him?"
Trouble started when the group signaled their protest intentions at the venue of the event to the NCA. In his response, Prof. Hagher sent word to the protesters asking them to send their letter of complaint for onward remittance to Yar'Adua.
Predictably, that infuriated the group further. Its members loudly rejected the idea, claiming that Nigerian problems are well known to all and sundry and that it was an insult on the intelligence of Nigerians for the ambassador to request that a petition to be written about them for the Nigerian "president".
Although Ambassador Hagher had travelled to Toronto from Ottawa, about 280 miles away, he was effectively prevented from attending the event, which commenced at 6:00p.m. The protesters arrived at the venue ahead of that time at 5:40 PM and took their positions, armed with placards denouncing the Yar'adua government. They did not leave the place until 10:00p.m. When word reached them that the Ambassador had sent someone else to represent him and deliver his speech.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the ambassador was holed up in his hotel room in downtown Toronto. Before dispersing, the group vowed to keep mobilizing all Nigerians abroad, who are dissatisfied with the sorry state of affairs at home to start boycotting official events by the Yar'Adua government until free and fair elections are held.
It is not known whether the Ambassador has reported his experience to Abuja. Analysts say Toronto could be the beginning of similar protests by frustrated Nigerians all over the world to draw the attention of the international community to the terrible conditions at home and send a strong message to the Nigerian government.
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