Visa Applicants Allege Unfair Treatment At French Embassy

FRENCH CONSUL GENERAL IN LAGOS, JEAN-LUC BODIN (left) WITH NAVY CAPTAIN EMMANUEL GUE, (middle) AND FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, JEAN-MICHEL DUMOND. Photo: French Embassy.

Lagos (THEWILL) - Nigerians seeking to visit France have cried foul over alleged unfair treatment by the new Consul General at the French embassy in Lagos, Mr. Jean-Luc Bodin.

Investigations reveal that most prominent Nigerian businessmen have either been refused visas to travel to France or were issued with only one week visas on the directive of the new Consul General.

Protesting what they described as Bodin’s “high handedness and hatred for the blacks”, visa applicants say, what is more worrisome is that those who have genuine reasons for traveling to France and who had been visiting the country over the years are now denied visas without concrete reasons.

“Prior to October 2008, Nigerians seeking to visit France were usually full of praises for the diplomats and staff working at the French embassy in Lagos, due to the human and gentle manner they were being treated at the embassy.

But since the new Consul General, who was posted from South Africa took over the mantle of leadership, most Africans/blacks working at the embassy are now being sacked without regards to the laid down rules and procedures governing dismissal/termination of employment under the French Labour laws. 

Jean-Luc Bodin’s many ills do not stop at flagrant exhibition of racial bigotry, but he is well known for his high handedness, which is no longer a secret. His Deputy Consul general resigned and left the country in July, 2009, due to his over-bearing attitude” sources at the embassy said.

It was also alleged that the Consul General currently does not relate socially with two of his assistants from other ministries attached to the embassy and is also in logger-heads with the former Deputy Consul General, Francis Emmanuel Dupuis, who currently works with a reputable Oil and Gas company in Victoria Island as an Executive Director.

Some Nigerians who had been issued with multiple visas during the tenure of Mr. Dupuis as the Deputy Consul general have either had their visas cancelled or at best were given just three weeks visiting visas just because their visas were approved by Dupuis.

While admitting that visas should be given to only eligible applicants who have genuine reasons for going to France, the applicants argue that a situation, where people with genuine purposes of visiting France are refused visas or are meant to apply for visas every fortnightly is most unfair and does not augur well for the existing business relationship between Nigeria and France.