Nigerians have berated Emdee Tiamiyu, a Youtuber, over his claim in an interview he had with the British Broadcasting Corporation, that Nigerians use education as pretext to migrate to the UK.
Tiamiyu, who is known for advising Nigerians on studying in the United Kingdom, declared that many of them were not looking for new qualifications, but to start a new life abroad.
He said most of those who applied for schooling in the country only considered it an alternative means to escape from Nigeria.
He said, “The student route is more like an answered prayer. It is a big bracket that’s able to take a lot of people, the ordinary people.
“We’re beginning to see that a lot of people just hide behind the studentship. So the student thing is not real, it’s not like they need the degrees,” he added.
Tiamiyu, who is based in Birmingham, granted the interview in the wake of the new immigration rules that will prevent Nigerian students, and others studying in the UK, from bringing their families as dependants except under specific circumstances.
Under the new rule, which will take effect in January 2024, the UK will remove the permission for international students to switch out of the student route and into work routes before their studies have been completed to prevent misuse of the visa system.
Nigerians, who felt displeased by Tiamiyu’s submission said he had ruffled the chances of those who genuinely planned to study in the UK.
Sharing a picture of him in an airplane, a Twitter user, Dr Penking, @drpenking, wrote, “This is Emdee Tiamiyu on his way to UK in September 2022. He entered the UK with same dependent route on September 2022. Less than 9 months after he entered UK, he closed the boarder against his kinsmen and lineage with his mouth.”
Another user, Francis Ebuara, said, “Dear BBC, Nigerians have been made aware of a video showing your interview with one “Emdee Tiamiyu,” who claimed that Nigerians do not go to the UK because they need the degree. For the avoidance of doubt, your interviewee has spoken strictly for himself and not for Nigerians.”
Another user, Bizzle said, “What @EmdeeTiamiyu said in the interview was unhealthy!He has really made bad history, and the internet will never forget it. Sometimes it is healthy to bridle your mouth than speaking in a happy state of mind. He was too happy to be interviewed and decided to blow the whistle.”
Another tweep, Daniel Regha, said, “Emdee Tiamiyu is a mindless clown. Nigerians are already being stigmatised, our country has a negative image but instead of correcting the wrong perceptions he deliberately threw Nigerians under the bus for views and cheap clout. Ignorance is a disease. Hope karma visits him soon.”
Also in his reaction, Omolomo tweeted, “Emdee Tiamiyu finally japa and all he could do was to block the same channel he used for those coming.”
Wanjukay also tweeted, “This Emdee Tiamiyu just made foolery of himself on #BBC . Nigerian students have immensely contributed to UK economy through post-graduate studies. Stereotyping and jumping to conclusions like this just to gain YouTube views is destructively greedy.”