By Dele Olawanle
I want to encourage you as an immigrant. Do not let this immigration rhetoric trouble you. I have lived in the UK since February 1990. I have seen several Prime Ministers come and go. I have seen several changes in government. I suffered at the hands of the immigration authorities. I suffered!
My wife is British, like @KemiBadenoch . She was born here and taken back to Nigeria by her parents. She later returned, and we met here. We fell in love and got married. We have been married for 33 years. We have three children who are now adults and are all practicing lawyers in the UK. I got where I am today because I believe.
I applied to the Home Office for the right to stay, but they refused. They made me report at police stations for 8 years. I did that three times a week. I was arrested and locked up for 4 days after signing for 7 years. They tried to deport me through Gatwick Airport, but I got an injunction. Yet, they did not release me. They took me to a detention center and locked me up for 5 weeks. They denied me bail until they let me go. I am not a criminal. Today, I am a British citizen and have helped many people succeed.
One thing helped me. I believe. I never doubted, and I kept working on myself. I fought through the courts. I used several lawyers, and I paid thousands of pounds. I sponsored myself to the university and the law school. I can beat my chest that I did not get a penny from the UK government. So, I have a voice that not all immigrants are a problem to this society, and they should stop labeling us. That is why you must pay a consultation fee when you want legal advice from me. I paid my dues with tears and pain.
That is why I don’t understand Kemi Badenoch’s politics. She is an immigrant like us. She can’t harass us.
But as you are reading this, don’t lose hope. You must fight your case. Don’t cry or be depressed. That won’t help you. Whilst waiting to get your leave to remain, make little progress. Many people became overstayers through some incompetent decisions by Home Office caseworkers and some stupid decisions by some universities who deregistered innocent international students for non-payment of fees even when they had paid the majority of their tuition.
If eventually they remove you, it is not the end of the world. I know people who were removed years ago and now employ hundreds of staff in their home country. They are now coming here on holiday with their families.
Some of the people attacking immigrants are ignorant. They are British but have never obtained a passport. They are not educated. Some have never traveled out of the UK. Some have never worked and are living on taxes paid by the immigrants.
Many British people are also educated and well-exposed. They know the value that immigrants bring to this society. So, not everyone is against immigrants.
Everything will be alright. These politicians are now fighting each other. They will soon be tired. There is hope for you. Just believe, but don’t break the law, and don’t take your life.
Las, las, we will be fine.
