My parents were denied Schengen visa over fear of japa — Ex-envoy’s daughter

Bolanle Olukanni, the daughter of Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni, the former Nigerian Commissioner to Australia between 2011 and 2015, has lamented the bastardisation of Nigerian passports by Western consulates over the fear of ‘Japa’.

Olukanni said this to X, on Monday, while narrating her parents’ experience when applying for a Schengen visa.

According to her, her father who was a retired ambassador who lived in Austria for three years was denied a visa alongside his mum over fear of returning to the country.

She wrote, “I just want you guys to know that the Nigeria passport has really been bastardized. My father is a retired Ambassador who lived and served in Austria for three years.

“He applied for a Schengen visa alongside my mum, and the Austrian embassy denied their visas.

The TV host cum documentary filmmaker also lamented that 30 years of her father’s service to the country as a foreign service officer was disrespected.

“Do you realize the lack of diplomacy and courtesy and disregard for a country you have to have to deny a former foreign service officer a visa? A Foreign Service officer who served for 30 years and has been to over 30 countries.”

She further expressed her frustrations with the consulate, which thought her father wanted to stay in Austria, adding, “They think he wants to go to Japan. I’m so insulted. Lord.”

Recently, a report stated that the EU had earned €3.4 million from rejected Schengen visa applications submitted by Nigerian citizens.

According to the data, in 2023, African nationals received 704,000 negative responses for their visa requests.

“This means that €56.3m went up in smoke, considering that visa application fees are not refundable,” it stated.

The report noted that a high number of rejected visa applications had caused African nationals to spend millions every year, with the fees known as ‘reverse remittances’ benefitting no one but the EU countries.

“African nationals spent €56.3m in visa application fees in 2023, representing 43 per cent of all expenses; rejection rates in 2023 were especially high for African and Asian countries, which bear 90 per cent of all expenses.

“Expenditures are to increase by 12.5 per cent starting next week as the EU raises visa fees for adults from €80 to €90 on 11 June, following a recent decision by the EU Commission,” it added.

Olukanni is the former Director General, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture.

He assumed NACCIMA in May 2018.