I won the fellowship (1 October 2011 to 31 March 2012) for which I am seekingvisa to travel to Cambridge through a competition. I scrupulously followed thedirection of the Centre of African Studies, University of Cambridge in pursuing entry clearance. In a correspondence of Mrs. Dorian Addison, Administrator of the Centre, of March 2011, I was advised to apply for visa three months to the date of my departure (3 October 2011) for the UK. Thus, I applied for visa on 7 July 2011. I applied for academic visitor visa as advised in my letter of appointment, signed by the Director of the Centre of African Studies, Professor Megan Vaughan FBA. I submitted a copy of this letter, which clearly outlines the terms and conditions of the fellowship with other necessary documents when I applied for visa.The young lady, who received my application at the Ikeja VSF office of the UK in what turned out to be my first and last interactive session in my quest for entry clearance, wondered why a university teacher of Political Science wants to stay in the UK for six months in the name of fellowship. Obviously, her only perception of fellowship was religious association. I had to spend some time explaining to her that the period of association with an academic institution other than one's own institution of affiliation is also called fellowship. Little did I know that my journey to rejection was just beginning!Thus, on 4 August 2011, I was shocked to receive a letter refusing me entry to the UK. The reason was that I 'do not meet all the requirements of paragraph 46 G iii (d)', which states: 'to act as an Academic Visitor but only if he has been working in an institution of higher education overseas or in the field of their academic expertise immediately prior to seeking entry.' I do not know how accurately anyone else can interpret this rule because I submitted a letter of introduction signed by the Registrar and the Bursar of my University. The letter opens with this is to introduce the above named, who is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Faculty of The Social Sciences of this university (University of Ibadan). I also submitted 3 months' pay slips (March, April and May 2011) together with 6 months' bank statement. Indeed, I have worked as a teacher at the University of Ibadan since 1995. Thus, I have a pensionable appointment. On enquiry, I learnt that Dr. 'Tunde Awosanmi of the Department of Theatre Arts of my University, that is, University of Ibadan, was granted academic visitor visa for the same fellowship last year.However, I immediately informed Mrs. Addison. She contacted the Embassy in my behalf. In the Embassy's response forwarded to me on 18 August, she was informed that my application was being reviewed and that 'it takes a minimum of 20 working days to complete' a review process. In a response to her enquiry about the status of the review on 14 September 2011, the Embassy said, the applicant will be 'contacted in due course'. Mrs. Addison had also informed the Embassy that four of the five Africans that won the 2011/2012 Cambridge/Africa Collaborative Research Programme award had been granted visas. I decided to email the Embassy to provide more information about myself on 15 September.In another email, I wrote: 'I do not intend to miss any part of the programme. This is why I planned from the beginning to leave Nigeria for Cambridge on 3 October 2011. (See forwarded notice of seminar series which begins on 10 October 2011). I missed a funded conference trip to South Africa, 22-27August 2011 because of the uncertainty surrounding my UK visa application. I attached documents related to this when I made an enquiry about the status of my visa application in July from the Embassy. Should I be made to suffer more hardship/losses as a result of the delay in issuing me entry clearance' In the 1 February 2011 letter informing me that I have been shortlisted for the fellowship, Professor Vaughan FBA, said, '' and wish to encourage you at this stage to enquire about the possibility of paid leave from your institution for the period October 2011-March 2012.' Accordingly, I have sought and secured leave of absence with pay from my University during the fellowship. Thus, the delay in issuing me entry clearance is traumatizing me and becoming destabilizing of my plans. As a political scientist, I am fully aware of the political values of the United Kingdom. The particular one I request you [Embassy] to kindly apply to me is equal treatment based on merit.''There are numerous academics who can bear out my integrity. Take for examples. Williams A. Schabas, OC, Professor of International Law and Director, Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland, Galway, Republic of Ireland; Mark Sidel, former Professor of Law and International Affairs, Iowa State University/former President, International Society for Third-Sector Research (ISTR) and Doyle-Bascom Professor of Law and Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin. He wrote a reference letter in support of my application for the fellowship (let me add that I was a member of the Board of Directors of ISTR, 2006-2010); Eghosa Emmanuel Osaghae, Professor of Political Science and Vice-Chancellor, Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State. He also wrote a reference letter in support of my application.Bola Osifo, Professor of Clinical Medicine and IAEA Counterpart/Coordinator, National Nuclear Medicine Project, who wrote to request entry clearance to enable me, travel on 3 October 2011 so that I do not miss any aspect of the Cambridge/Africa Collaborative Research Programme.' My Head of Department, Dr. O.B.C. Nwolise wrote to the Embassy about my visa application early last week.When all these efforts proved in vein, I emailed Professor Vaughan, FBA who until last week was on vacation, about my plight. She apologized and promised to do whatever she can to sort out my problems. She emailed a letter to the Embassy and its Home Office last Friday 30 September 2011. My fellowship has begun and I am yet to be granted entry clearance. So, who qualifies for entry clearance to the United Kingdom''Dr. Isumonah is of the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
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