By Esther Onyegbula & Okonkwo Kamsi

The Minister of Youth State of African Diaspora and Director, Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC) and Minister of Youths, State of Africa Diaspora (SOAD), Olasumbomi Iginla-Aina, says Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) transfer policy was the major challenge Nigerian students in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were facing.

Iginla-Aina noted that the situation is compounded by the activities of travel agents and racketeers who raised the hopes of unsuspecting Nigerians that there are job opportunities in Northern Cyprus.

Disclosing this during a media chat in Lagos, Iginla-Aina said that based on findings from her visit to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus stakeholders engagement, and interaction with Nigerian students there, the CBN transfer policy was the the major challenge the students were facing.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive on transfer policy had led to the deportation of a number of Nigerian students or their inability to sit for exams and further their education”, she said.

“The students complained that they don’t get money sent from Nigeria on time. This is because the CBN money transfer is delayed in all the schools in TRNC.

“But the CBN policy for money transfers should be as easy as ABC. Let children receive money easily instead of delaying it. The government should look into the transfer policy of CBN and help.”

Iginla-Aina said that there are not many rooms for such opportunities given the size of the country. Many of the students have had to indulge in illicit activities due to the misunderstanding and misinformation surrounding job security and access to other European countries.

She lamented that the government of Northern Cyprus and university authorities have observed that several admitted students do not show up for lectures, having been brainwashed by these agents.

According to her, deportation rates will increase as persons with fake IDs will be detected with the improved Information Technology (IT) system in the immigration services of Northern Cyprus.

Iginla-Aina urged the Nigerian government to deepen diplomatic ties, especially on education policy, in the interest of both countries. She noted that the issues that affect citizens and migrants from country to country are not the same.

Therefore, it should be apparent to all that no society is perfect. She insisted that the idea of investigating the life of African students in Northern Cyprus was borne out of the quest to understand issues that could adversely affect the relationship between the students, the government, the university authorities and the locals on the Island.

President, National Association of Nigerian Students, TRCN, Opeoluwa Ojekemi, who spoke via Zoom during the parley said the CBN directive had affected Nigerians studying in Northern Cyprus negatively.

He revealed that the settlement of fees, rents, and other needs was difficult.

He also stated that the Island was a haven for students to learn, with a high quality education system, a low crime rate and a tourist-friendly destination.

He listed institution accreditation, affordable tuition fees, cultural diversity, safe and trouble-free zones, qualitative education, medical insurance and prevalence of the rule of law as some of the things that international students need to know about Cyprus.

He further noted that the Island has many universities where over 100,000 students from various countries study, even as he revealed that the number was exponentially growing every year. “All universities in Northern Cyprus are accredited by the Ministry of Education in Turkey and equally recognized worldwide,” he added.