Chinese Embassy in Nigeria denies students visa on grounds of Ebola

The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has
denied visas to some students of
Ekiti State University on the grounds
of Ebola despite the World Health
Organization declaring Nigeria an
Ebola free country.

The students were invited to
participate in ENACTUS 2014
(En trepreneurial Action Us ), an
international competition of young
entrepreneurs involving 36 countries
slated for 22 – 24th of October 2014
in China in which Nigeria, Senegal,
Ghana and Egypt are to represent
Africa. But the Chinese Embassy here
refused to grant the student visas to
go to China.

The Ekiti State University students,
who were picked to represent
Nigeria having won the ENACTUS
Promoted Innovation Competition
earlier in the year, have written an
open letter about the situation.

Find
it after the cut...

REPRESENTATION OF NIGERIA AT
THE ENACTUS WORLD
COMPETITION IN CHINA:
DISCRIMINATORY DENIAL OF VISA
BECAUSE OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE
We write to introduce
ENACTUS (En trepreneurial Action
Us), an international non-profit
organization that works with leaders
in business and educational
Institutions to mobilize university
and polytechnic students to make
economic difference in their
communities while developing the
skills to become socially responsible
business leaders.

We are pleased to inform
you that Students of Ekiti State
University are slated to represent
Nigeria this October in China having
won the ENACTUS Promoted
Innovation Competition earlier in the
year. It should be noted that our
institution along with over 40 others
in Nigeria have worked tirelessly to
contribute positively to the
development of our dear nation
Nigeria through the ENACTUS
(En trepreneurial Action Us ) Platform
by embarking on micro economic
impacting projects which has
improved the quality of life and
standard of living of people in our
various communities by stimulating
economic demand for locally
produced products.

Annually, ENACTUS
participating institutions come
together to share their success
stories and the institution with the
best innovation that meets all
judging criteria represents Nigeria at
the International competition which
is hosted at different countries. At
these international competitions,
Nigeria has been duly represented
over the years as the leading African
country and most consistent top five
institution in the Final round of the
competition. As a matter of fact,
Nigeria, represented by Kaduna
Polytechnic won the Third position
amongst 32 countries at the
international competition which was
held in Mexico October, 2013.

ENACTUS Ekiti State University is to
represent our dear nation Nigeria
this ENACTUS year on October
22nd -24th , 2014 at Beijing, China.

However, we have been denied VISA
by the Chinese Embassy to
participate at the competition due to
the incidence of the Ebola Virus in
Nigeria this year.

Your Excellency, it is our considered
opinion that this an act of
international discrimination which
needs Your Excellency’surgent
attention and intervention. The
concerted effort of both the Nigerian
Government and her citizens in
overcoming the scourge of the
dreaded Ebola virus should be
praised by the international
community rather than it being an
excuse for any country that has a
strong bilateral relationship and
economic ties to the Federal
Government of Nigeria to prevent or
deny citizens of this great nation
theopportunity to promote our
innovation and competitiveness in
the global stage. We believe that this
denial is not only experienced by
ENACTUS Ekiti State University but
also so many Nigerian citizens
travelling to China at this time, we
make to the recent International
youth Olympics where the Nigerian
contingent were isolated thus
causing the Hon. Minister for Sports
into recalling the contingent back
home. We therefore believe that if
this trend is not nipped in the bud,
Nigeria may soon become pariah
state amongst the comity of nations
starting the Chinese.

We hereby seek Your Excellency’s to
lend a strong voice and action of
Support to tell the world in very loud
and clear voice that Nigeria is Ebola
Free through the ENACTUS EKSU
Move tagged “Nigeria is Ebola Free”
to give every Nigerian access to his /
her right and freedom of association
without intimidation and
stigmatization at the International
level.

In view of the above, we have
initiated a social media campaign
#NGIsEbolaFree and we plan to
spread this message through the
social media space to gain
international attention.

Please accept the appreciation of
our highest regards as we look
forward to a quick resolution of the
issues not only because of our
situation but to save Nigeria’s
image.

Yours Sincerely.