Experience at British Embassy

Tuesday 01/

My bossom friend Evelyn left Nigeria for the United Kingdom for her post graduate degree in Sociology. After the riguors of studying and examination, she invited me to be part of her graduation experience in London and i accepted.
She sent a letter of invitation to me with a letter from her school with my details, a print out of her bank statement from a London bank, photocopies of her international passport and the hotel booking receipt for one week. She had to book the hotel close by her home which was only bed and breakfat because her niece was coming too. I had to go to the airport to await the young girl arrival from Abuja the previous day. I had applied for my Annual leave using her invitation letter and gotten approval.
Armed with all the documents including my marriage certificate to prove i am happily married, (is the happily on the paper)Rachael and I left my home as early as 6.10am in Surulere, Lagos to Oando House, Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island. We got there around 6.55am because of pockets of hold ups on the way. We signed in by 7.03 after riding the Elevator to the floor. We were no 30 and 31. Couldn't believe that some people actually got there by 5.30am. I was wondering why and i saw the reason much later.
After signing in we waited outside the door to be called in. We were more than 200 in a space that cannot accommodate 20 persons. There were no seats and we had to seat on the floor or the stairs whichever was available. At a point, the security personnel had to advice some of us to go get food and water because we would not be allowed to go out once in. Since it may take a whole day, we had to go get some snacks. AT the eatery opposite the building, the staff were having a meeting and collecting salary too. Funny the way businesses are run in Nigeria. Why pay staff thier salary the beginning of the next month. If salary must be delayed, it should not be more than the last day of the month. Why subject your staff to such delays? Anyway, lets leave that for another day. Imagine me complaining when i have not been paid salary for three months by AJAOKUTA STEEL COMPANY. I waited for some minutes and since the salary issue was not resolved quickly and the door opened to customers,I had to go around the street to get biscuits and bottled water.
When i got back, the place was jam packed. More people had come and yet the officiala of VFS had not opened their door and the security personnel were now behaving as the Lord of the manor.
When the door was now opened and names were being called, the rush became too much because of the crammed space. The people who came very early got in before the rush. The man calling the names got angry and left. Later on the security man was given the assignment and he did it half way and abandoned it. The process changed and people were allowed in if you can struggle. In the ensuring commotion, my passport dropped and i had to start seaching quietly before and then with screaming till i got it. Eventually, i entered the hall and had to pulled Rachael in too. Inside the hall, we were seated to see the officers who would go through our forms and give a pass mark or asked for changes to the information supplied. Evenyually i saw one who advised i change my request from visit to tourist. I supplied all the details and documents and she said i qualified for a six months visa. I promptly paid so did Rachael. We got to the other section where our documents were scrutinised and the lady said we were in order. After seven hours of arriving at the British Visa application centre, we were finaaly shown the exit door. Was i impressed with the attitude of the officials of that Visa application centre? NO. What Nigerians go through in the different embassies are terrible. On Idejo street, is the Chinese Embassy and i see people loitering around in the sun trying to get a little slip attached to their green passports which will gain them entrance to another man's country. Why is Nigeria not organised to the extent that our people will not become 'tenants' in theses embassies because they want a better future or business environment.