By Habeeb Ibrahim
A well-known critic of Nigeria’s government, Ikhide R. Ikheloa, was shocked after a smooth experience at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C. He had expected delays and frustration but left two hours later with his renewed passport and a sense of surprise.
In a Facebook post that got many reactions, Ikheloa, who often speaks out on Nigerian issues, admitted he was ready for “major drama.” Instead, he found a fast and professional service that left him with no complaints.
“My appointment was 9:30 a.m. I got there at 9:27 a.m. and I was out exactly two hours later. Mission accomplished. No drama! Wow!”
Ikheloa said the embassy staff handled applicants in an organized way. They remained patient and professional, even when dealing with some Nigerians who were “impatient and disorganized.”
He was surprised by how clean the embassy was, the artwork on the walls, and the free refreshments including coffee, tea, water, and cookies.
“There was no mago mago, no wuru wuru! No bribe! No bribe!!” he wrote, adding that staff even sold prepaid mail envelopes to those who forgot to bring theirs.
Although he liked the good service, Ikheloa jokingly complained that he had nothing negative to write about. He had planned to document a “passport renewal nightmare” in a future book, he joked.
Ikheloa credited former President Goodluck Jonathan for setting up a good system, but some commenters said the credit should go to the current government.
“The current minister of interior is the star of Tinubu’s regime. The man is working hard and fast to change our experience of the Nigerian embassy. Bless him,” wrote Okpara McCoy Emeka.
Another user, Kayode Badmus, agreed. “A big well done to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the interior minister, and his principal. I had a similar experience in London last September.”
Recently, the Nigerian government has been working to make passport processing faster, both in Nigeria and at embassies abroad. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has promised to remove delays, and stories like Ikheloa’s show that things may be improving.
