His Excellency the French Ambassador to Nigeria
H.E. Sir: I am David Udo Anwana, a former staff of the French embassy, I am writing you this day 3rd of June 2009,in relation to the incident that happened at the French embassy on the 16th of October 2009, where I was pushed to react against the French embassy due to mistreatment I got from some few members of staff which resulted in my action which I later regretted and wrote an apology letter to the former French ambassador just seven days after I came out of the police cell.
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The pressure was so much on me , my wife was pregnant and had to go to the hospital , and I had no single money with me , my 3 eldest kids where all driven away from school , my landlord threatened to send me packing , it was really unbearable.
I have written series of letters thereafter, expressing my sincere apology.
My wife put to birth a baby boy on that same day 16th of October 2007 at the Asokoro police station with the help of God Almighty , because we had less than N200 with us , my three kids where all at home and my landlord was just ready to send me out of his house , how could I control myself under such situation , knowing fully well that I have served the French embassy for roughly 10 years and was forced to resigned after I put up all my best in serving the French embassy , it was really disheartening and painful, I wouldn’t want to start explaining what went wrong , because my main aim at the moment is to pursue peace.
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I still believe that what I did was out of anger and pressure on me. Though, it was not proper for me to have taken the law into my hands.
The police prosecutor handling the case has been sending his P.A. to request for me to settle them before they could close down this case , and I have wow never to do so.
Sir , after I received the letter you sent to me where you said the French embassy or any of his agent has ever taken me to any court of law , I wrote to acknowledge receipt of the letter which was also translated and given to the magistrate handling the case and to the prosecutor .
The magistrate asked me to contact the French embassy and ask them to write an official withdrawal of the case to the DPO of Asokoro police station, that is the only way the case will be closed , since the French embassy file the case against me at the Asokoro police station.
Sir, I am writing you this letter, to please help write to the Asokoro police station in order for the case to be withdrawn as the police handling the case want to use this as a means of extorting money from me.
Sir, at the moment, what I need is my peace , and peace with the French embassy and I can’t continue with the way the police officer handling the case is trying to use this as a way to extort money from me. I have so much responsibility to carry on my shoulder at this moment , I am more concerned now with the well being of my family ,my 4 kids and my lovely wife.
Sir , by the time you will receive this mail , I will be at the karu magistrate court , since the case was adjourned till 3rd of June 2009 .
As I am writing this letter to you sir , my son is critically hill and is hospitalized, and I have been without job for the past 6 months and my children have been sent away from school , sir, I really need peace of mind to be able to cope with all these responsibility , I don’t see myself spending money getting a lawyer or giving the police officers handling the case , I am using this medium to plead with you sir , to kindly help me by writing a letter to the DPO Asokoro police station for the matter to end and for me to have my peace.
Sir, I also use this medium to ask you all at the French embassy to kindly forgive me and also forget , let us put the past behind us.
Sir, I and my family will be much grateful to you.
Yours faithfully,
David Anwana UDO
Former staff of the French embassy
This is one of the letters i have sent to the french ambassador to Nigeria , and still nothing has been done as regards my rights
DAVID UDO ANWANA
MARARABA
NASARAWA-STATE
NIGERIA.
Abuja , 08 May 9, 2007
H.E. THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR
FRENCH EMBASSY
ABUJA- NIGERIA.
H.E.THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR,
I acknowledge receipt of my “Certificate de Travail” dated 31st March 2007. This day 29th April 2007, from one of the staff of the French Embassy. Mr. Dominic OBI.
I am using this opportunity to express to you my sincere thanks for the manner in which the letter was written and also express my thanks for all you did for me during my stay with the French Embassy
Sir, permit me to draw your attention to some very important matters, which I will like to bring to your notice, as it is rightly stated in the “Certificate de travail”, that I left the French Embassy on my own initiative
My decision to resign from my post on my own initiative was prompted by the mistreatment and injustice I experienced from the First Counselor of the French Embassy, Mr. Dominique. Raoux-Cassin and from the Gendarmes, most specially Philippe Lethielleux I wasn’t felling comfortable and at free to perform my duty as a switch board operator at the French Embassy anymore, I stated these reasons in my resignation letter to the Embassy.
Permit me, Sir, to brief you on just two of these mistreatment and injustice; I won’t be able to state all I went through at the French Embassy from the hands of the Gendarmes, in this letter.
I once approach the Gendarme “Philippe Lethielleux for some assistance, in the process he had to tell me that, we Africans and especially Nigerians still have the mentality of slaves and that is why we like begging and borrowing money from everyone, that we don’t like God and that is why Satan keep controlling us, That, even our Countries keep on borrowing money, that in our mentality we are still under chains as in the time of slavery. That he is a man of God, and a saint, that is why we all always come to him to ask for money.
I don’t think it is a crime for anyone to approach someone when one is faced with some difficulties, but for him to have said this, it was really embarrassing and disturbing, for me this was an insult to my personality, to my country, to my race. For him to have made such statement, It shows me how deep rooted he hate the black, this is very obvious from the way he speaks to the local staff.
The second instance was when the first Counselor of the French Embassy, Mr. Dominique. Raoux-Cassin, decided to send a telegram to Paris, for my dismissal, for not being at work for 2days, not given me the opportunity to express myself, he had to drive me away from his office as a house boy. This was real wickedness and very unjust for him to do. The worst of all was after I tendered my resignation letter.
This happened one afternoon, when he was coming back from his lunch break, he was climbing the stair case, in company of Mr. Kostia Sakow, he made this statement as he walked passed Mr Sakow, just in front of my desk, this is what he said, I heard him quite well. “Now that you have become unemployed I hope you won’t come and take us for hostages”
After he made that statement, I felt so bad, and shed tears, I couldn’t imagine how wicked he could be, so for him, it is a thing of joy, because that was his plan, that statement is a clear indication of his happiness. I controlled myself and didn’t say a word.
For a man of his caliber, a diplomat, a responsible man, to have made such a statement, it is really surprising and unbelievable. Does he know that statement is enough to create in me the spirit of revolt?
Sir, time won’t permit me to relate many other mistreatments I personally experienced at the French Embassy, which couldn’t allow me to continue working there and feel free to do my job as I have always done. I had no other option than to tender my resignation letter.
Presently I am without a job in Abuja. I was transferred from Lagos to Abuja by the French Embassy, now I am left with no job, with a family of 3 children who are soon going to resume school, and my pregnant wife needs medical attention, there is no money with me. I left the Embassy of France after serving one month notice as stipulated by the Nigerian Labor Law. I didn’t collect any salary for the month of march 2007, since the bank had to seize it, because of the loan I took from the bank, and presently my pregnant wife is very sick, I don’t have a single kobo to take her to the hospital, I am going through an untold hardship, no money to pay my children school fees, my rent will soon due, no source of revenue. This is well after I must have served the French Embassy for good ten (10) years, and decides to resign due to injustice I could not bear.
Sir, I use this medium to ask the French Embassy to pay me all my entitlement for the 10 years I served the Embassy to enable me care for my family and also start a new life.
I don’t understand why I shouldn’t be paid my right after working for ten years with the French Embassy and why my pension contribution is also not remitted to a pension fund administrator as stipulated by the Nigerian pension act of 2005
All other International Originations operating within Nigeria, usually pay off their staff when they decide to resign on their own initiative for one reason or the other, the British high commission, the Japanese Embassy, the European union and money others for example, why is it different with the French Embassy, are there two different labor law in Nigeria?
This present condition I am presently passing through won’t be taken kindly, if the French Embassy refuses to pay me all my entitlement.
During my ten years with the French Embassy, I never for once seen or be given any condition of service stating that a staff won’t be paid his right if he or she decide to resign from his post on his own initiative. If other embassies operating in Nigeria pay their staff when they resign and I strongly believe they are also following the Nigeria labor law, why is it different with French Embassy?
Sir, if in the process of my staying without a job and my pension money and my entitlement are still held by the French Embassy, and it happens that my wife because of ill health, since I don’t have money to look after her, anything happen to her, after I must have serve the French Embassy for 10 years and resign because of injustice without being paid, then that won’t be good at all, at all, and this only makes me doubt the battle of injustice, human rights and oppression, which I know the republic of France is fighting against.
Sir, I need my money paid to me in full as soon as possible to enable me care for my family, pay my children school fees, pay my rent, care for my pregnant wife, settle my pending debts. This is really urgent , since I have to care for my pregnant wife .
I trust that all my right and my pension contribution will be released to me as soon as possible. I am in desperate need of my money. At present I don’t have a single kobo to survive with my family of three children and a pregnant wife who is not feeling well.
Does the French embassy expect me to become a thief , an armed robber , a criminal , to be able to survive with my family , I wasn’t a casual staff , I have been a permanent staff with the French embassy for 10 years from November 1997 to march 2007 .
I am not writing a threat letter, but I am saying that in the name of war against injustice, human rights and oppression, which I know the republic of France is fighting against, let the right thing be done as it is supposed to be done.
The first counselor has no human feelings and he is really inhuman, if up till this moment after I left the embassy, he can still boast of his success to have changed the switch board operator, I do hope he knows quite well what he is doing.
How does he think I will feel seeing my children stay home without going to school , or my sick wife staying home without any proper care , or my landlord sending me out of his house because of not being able to pay my rent , or my children crying of hunger for days without any food.
No human being with human feelings, will feel comfortable experiencing such , in the name of peace , for having served the French embassy for ten years without query or warnings , let the right thing be done as soon as possible , sir , to enable me start my life afresh , and be able to take care of my family.
Sir, I will be expecting a reply to my letter as soon as possible.
Yours faithfully,
David Udo Anwana
Attached to this letter are the following.
- Copy of my resignation letter
- Copy of the reply to the (Demanded explication verbal)
- Copy of NSITF / certificate of membership (1997 – 2004)
- Copy of the letter of acceptance of my resignation by the French embassy.
- Copy of the letter of reposting from French embassy Lagos to Abuja
- Copy of my “certificate de travail.”
Copy: Nelly Humbert (Deputy CONSUL)
The First COUNSELOR (M. D. Raoux-Cassin)
All the “Chefs de Service”
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