Dr. Olubamiji’s allegations: The true story – Consulate General of Nigeria, New York

The Consulate General of Nigeria in New York, United States of America (USA) has thrown light on what actually transpired at the Consulate when Dr. Deborah Adeola Olubamiji and her family went to Nigeria House to renew their passports.

Olubamiji had taken to her twitter handle to say how officials of the Consulate talked down on them and treated them like they didn’t matter, how she observed inconsistent processes, late arrival of employees and lack of empathy.

Her tweet, according to a statement by the Consulate General, attracted immediate, detailed, investigation of her allegations, including review of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage on the day of their visit.

It was found, the statement said, that the primary cause of her outburst was when they were told that payments made in respect of the applications for the renewal of her passport and that of her husband had expired as the applications were made in March 2022, since they failed to present themselves for biometrics capture one year after the payment.

The Consulate General officials “explained to them that payments for passport applications on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) passport application platform expire if an applicant did not present themselves for biometrics within a year of the application.”

That was when Olubamiji, in anger, “spewed invectives at the staff of the Consulate threatening to report (them) to the President of Nigeria, whom she claimed to know personally, and (to) cause the staff to lose their jobs.”

The Head of Immigration in the Consulate walked into Olubamiji’s storm, and her “intervention ensured that the family’s biometrics were taken, and she promised to promptly send a request to the NIS technical partners in Nigeria to sort out the expired payment issue. She left for her office on another Floor of the building and soon after, the couple joined her. They apologized for the incidence and expressed appreciation to her for intervening.”

The statement also dismissed as lies, Olubamiji’s allegations that they were talked down on and threated as though they did not matter, insisting that throughout the period that she was yelling at them, the staff “remained calm and never responded to the insults.”

Also, the Consulate confirmed that the family came into Nigeria House in the afternoon and so could not have noticed whether the staff come to work early or late. “When they arrived, they met staff at every desk they went to and they were promptly attended to. Perhaps she (Olubamiji) thought that staff in the Biometrics Enrolment Room returning after lunch break were just reporting for the day. A review of the CCTV footage on this day quickly debunked this outrageous allegation,” the statement clarified.

While acknowledging that some technical issues such as that which involved Olubamiji’s family can only be fixed from Nigeria, the Consulate called on nationals requiring consular services, especially passport services to cooperate with its officials, who are making efforts to ensure that services are provided in “a timely, professional and courteous manner,” pointing out that “without the support and understanding of the applicants, it will be very difficult to achieve these noble objectives.”

Full text of the statement reads:

RESPONSE TO DR. DEBORA ADEOLA OLUBAMIJI’S ALLEGATIONS

The attention of the Consulate General of Nigeria, New York has been drawn to an allegation contained in a tweet by one Dr. Deborah Adeola Olubamiji with a twitter handle @DrOlubamiji, on Friday, 15^th June, 2023.

2. In the said tweet, Dr. Olubamiji alleged that she was at the Nigeria House with her family to obtain their passports and they were talked down, treated like they didn’t matter and that she observed inconsistent processes, late arrival of employees and lack of empathy.
3. To set the records straight, Dr Olubamiji arrived on the 2^nd floor of Nigeria House on the said day in the afternoon in the company of her husband, Mr. Oluwole Victor Awoyeji and her daughter, a toddler, and they were received at the window by a staff, who first processes passport applicants. Upon scrutinizing the family’s documents presented by Mr. Awoyeji, the family was informed that payments made in respect of the application for the renewal of passports of the two adults had expired as the applications were made in March, 2022. It was explained to them that payments for passport applications on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) passport application platform expire if an applicant did not present themselves for biometrics within a year of the application.
4. Thereafter, Dr. Olubamiji in anger, spewed invectives at the staff of the Consulate threatening to report to the President of Nigeria, whom she claimed to know personally, and cause the staff to lose their jobs. At some point, her husband was seen trying to calm her down. In the midst of this, another staff hearing the commotion came out of her office and beckoned to Mr. Awoyeji to find out what was going on. He explained the problem to her and she pointed out that the way his wife was going would further complicate rather than solve their problem.
5. As this was going on, the Head of the Immigration Section walked into the hall and witnessed the yelling at the staff of the Consulate, who, throughout the period remained calm and never responded to the insults. The Immigration Officer’s intervention ensured that the family’s biometrics were taken and she promised to promptly send a request to the NIS technical partners in Nigeria to sort out the expired payment issue. She left for her office on another Floor of the building and soon after the couple joined her. They apologized for the incidence and expressed appreciation to her for intervening. They were also referred to the Receptionist on the same Floor, who guided them on how to reach the Consulate through the switchboard.
6. It is also worth stating that Dr. Olubamiji did not notice any staff coming late. When they arrived, they met staff at every desk they went to and they were promptly attended to. Perhaps she thought that staff in the Biometrics Enrolment Room returning after lunch break were just reporting for the day. A review of the CCTV footage on this day quickly debunked this outrageous allegation.
7. The Consulate General of Nigeria, New York, wishes to inform that though it is saddled with the responsibility of providing vital consular services, especially passports, it has limitations as technical issues like those presented in the case under reference can only be fixed from Nigeria. If Dr. Olubamiji had shown this understanding and did not go the way she did, the unfortunate situation would have been avoided.
8. The general public is kindly invited to note that despite the numerous challenges, the Consulate General of Nigeria, New York, has been making efforts to provide an atmosphere where consular services would be provided to applicants in a timely, professional and courteous manner. It is noteworthy that without the support and understanding of the applicants, it will be very difficult to achieve these noble objectives.

Consulate General of Nigeria

New York

18^th June, 2023