Irregular Migration: Soundbites from Italy
FRONTLINES
By Joseph Ushigiale
Two weeks ago, I transited through Milan Malpensa airport en route to Lagos after my vacation. I had a few hours wait before my flight to Lagos and so decided to do what we call window shopping around the huge array of duty-free shops lining all the way after passport control to the boarding areas.
As I sauntered around lazily, not knowing exactly what to look out for, my roving eyes rested on a leather wallet on display in one of the glass-encased shops selling leather stuff. My eyes riveted on it for a moment as I remembered my current crocodile skinned wallet which has been in service for close to seven years was now begging and indeed protesting to be retired even without benefits.
I moved towards the glass and stood looking at the different designs of wallets on display. As if on a prompt, a gentleman suddenly appears from the hallway and walked straight to the door and using a smart key which he slotted into the key hole, he swung the door open and stepped in. He barely took notice of me or perhaps choosed to ignore me. Whichever way, I did not know why he wore that countenance and could not be bothered either. I am used to white people and some of their rude attitudes.
So without an invitation, I walked in and picked up the wallet. He pretended to be busy until I asked him how much the wallet sold for. He replied that that particular design sold for €500. I exclaimed that it was too expensive. He chuckled and said some designs by Saldi were selling for upwards of €1000. I now asked if there was any wallet cheaper than €500, he asked me what my budget was. After a little hesitation, I pulled out my old beaten crocodile skinned wallet and thrusted it at him and asking him if he had something in that range.
He looked at the wallet thoughtfully for a moment then asked how much I bought the wallet, I lied to him that it cost $200. He shook his head and said then it was fake. He opened a drawer and brought out a brochure where he pointed out to me that wallets in the mould I have just shown him are very expensive. In truth, I did not know the cost, the wallet was gifted me by a friend of mine Sam Adeyemi who worked then as Art Director with an agency.
From there on, my new friend whom I would call Luigi (not real name) hit off a discussion with me. He explained to me that Milan is the world’s fashion capital and that has been made possible by some of Italy’s foremost designers who have for a long time captivated the popular culture with their breathtaking annual designs. He explained that the fashion industry alone in Italy is worth multibillion euros and it has been able to create its own economy.
I told him I was aware and we are also gifted with lots of talented designers who are seeking global acclaim at the moment. I assured him that in no distant time, the world would stand still for Nigerian designers.
He looked at me for a brief moment and asked me which country I am from, I repeated that I am a Nigerian. He kept quiet. After a while, he asked if I lived in Italy, I said no and told him I was just on transit through Malpensa on my way to Lagos. He said he wished Italian politicians would be equally as altruistic as the fashion designers. I asked him in which ways and he went on to narrate the monumental corruption that has eaten deep into the body polity of their country. He said it was almost as if it is irredeemable. I now pointed out that Italian politicians are corrupt with a conscience, at least, there is healthcare, affordable transportation, jobs, quality education, etc. I asked him what if he was in Africa where there is no electricity, no potable water etc.
Luigi hesitated for a moment as if weighing whether to say what he wanted to say or not and finally told me that they watched on television a news item where allegations of corruption in the oil and gas sector running into multi-billion dollar (Malabu Oil Deal) were leveled against some Nigerians including some Italians working with Eni, Italy’s equivalent of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). I acknowledged that the same matter is being investigated in our country and there was an assurance by government that those involved in the deal would be called to account for their wrong deeds.
Luigi pointed out that if a few individuals could steal such money, it then means Nigeria is rich. I admitted that Nigeria is indeed a rich country in both human and natural resources. I told him our population of about 200m people is a big market for any product produced and consumed even within Nigeria. I said we have arable land and equal amount of rain and sunshine which are good factors for agriculture production. Then why are Nigerians becoming a nuisance in Italy he shot back at me? Not quite sure what satisfactory answer to give to this question, I replied that they are in Italy seeking greener pastures. He laughed and asked me if I truly believed my people were in Italy looking for greener pastures, I said yes.
At this point, not wanting to be boxed into a corner, I decided to make a detour. I said to him that unfortunately, the rise of people like Matteo Salvini, the former prime minister of Italy and his anti-immigration narrative has stirred up populist nationalism in a number of Italians who now see foreigners as criminals and people that are not wanted in their country.
It was as if I had touched on a raw nerve, I could see suppressed rage or anger in Luigi’s eyes as he struggled to convey his emotions. What do you people know about Salvini, he queried? Salvini never said foreigners are criminals, he never profiled them. The point he has consistently tried to make and which majority of us agree with is that foreigners should respect our laws, he tried to educate me.
He said no country leaves its borders open for foreigners to pour in as is the case in Italy. Luigi lamented that Africans have taken advantage of Italy’s seaward border with Libya and opted to abuse the privilege of Italy’s humanitarian gesture by flocking to their country without following due processes. He said Italy has Embassies and Consulates globally and if any foreigner is desirous of visiting Italy, the embassies or consulates are in a position to process such entries and not for Africans to force their way and illegally invade their country.
Luigi pointed out that Italians are a welcoming people and would continue to extend its warmth and hospitality to foreigners who follow due process to access their country and the reverse is the case with those who decide to come through Libya for whatever reasons. At this point of our discussion, my flight was announced and we bade each other bye and I departed.
During the flight, I had the providence of being seated with a Ghanaian gentleman who in our ensuing discussion on immigration control confirmed to me that he was one of those lucky to cross through Libya and after some years in Italy, he was given residency. According to him, Italians have scant respect for foreigners who came through the sea. Most often, when you are in Italy with some friends, some would mischievously ask you if you flew in or came by boat through Libya? Your answer would eventually seal your fate and determine their attitude towards you.
Let me also narrate an encounter with a fellow Nigerian at Milan Linate airport a year or so ago. I was waiting for transport to Malpensa airport when suddenly I saw this gentleman walking towards me smiling. I looked back to see if there was someone else behind me, there was none. In a few minutes, he was by my side and made to shake hands with me. I hesitated, then he broke into pidgin English. “Bros, as I see you from far, I know at once say you be naija proper as you full ground. How na? You come by plane abi by boat? Me na boat oooo and as you see me so, na God send you come to help me ooo, I don strand as I talk to you now (Brother, the moment I sighted you, I sensed that you are a Nigerian because of your well built physique. How are you? Did you come to Italy by plane or boat? I came by boat (Libya) and as we speak, God has sent you to come and help me because I am stranded).
He went on to explain to me how he escaped the horror in Libya after several years of torture and eventually landed Italy. He was holed up in Genoa where the so called greener pastures are non-existent. He said a friend of his was inviting him to Greece and he arrived Linate early to catch a flight to Greece but missed it. I asked for his travel itinerary, when he presented me with his travel document and ticket, I asked him when he arrived he told me and then I was wondering why he missed the flight having arrived two hours ahead.
I was to discover later that this fellow could neither read nor write. He confessed to me that it would be his first time to fly if he succeeded in boarding his flight that day. I explained to him that he was in the wrong airport and needed to join a bus to Malpensa. We joined the bus arrived at Malpensa and I took him to the airline’s counter where I explained his predicament to the ticketing officer. She graciously put him on another flight and gave him a boarding pass. That was the easiest bit. The harder part now was how he would know when boarding is announced because he could not read the display terminals announcing flight arrivals and departures. How would he go through security and passport control and also maneuver through the maze of hallways housing duty free shops to identify his boarding gate?
Faced with such huge challenges and my flight at hand, I decided to walk him back to the check in counter for help. The lady after listening to him in his smattering Italian language assured me he would get him a guide to lead him up to boarding. With the assurance, we shook hands and I flew towards my boarding gate to catch my flight to the next destination.
I decided to pen this encounter to put these insights into perspective for people to read and be aware of the true situation out there. Every country today is becoming increasingly conscious and guarded when it comes to immigration control. The era of free movement of persons between countries is gradually coming to an end as restrictions are taking over to stem the influx of unwanted foreigners.
We have a lot to learn from what is going on today. Almost everyone in Nigeria who can afford it wants to leave the country because of the current economic hardships. India has done an excellent job in providing a solution to brain drain it had decades ago. What did India do differently? India set up an equivalence of what we call the technical aid corps (TAC) where it pooled human resources for export. Up till this moment, India’s foreign workers contribute a huge chunk to its GDP through international remittances. It has been able to keep detailed data of its human resources and where they are at a given time.
Nigeria can also rejig the TAC and make it such hub that would appeal to Nigerians seeking greener pastures abroad. These people would be documented, monitored and could be called to service back in the country when the need arises.
As a responsible government, Nigeria can no longer allow other countries to take care of its citizen on its behalf, doing so would amount to abdication of responsibilities. Few days ago, the U.S announced a new visa rule which prohibits maternity tourism. It would be a big blow to those who planned to gained American citizens through the back door. I foresee more countries shutting their doors to Africans and third world countries. We have to make our countries better than shitholes according to American President Donald Trump to keep our people home.
