Many Nigerians in Europe have expressed disappointment over the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.
Britons had on Thursday voted 52% against 48% to leave the EU with England and Wales voting for BREXIT while London, Scotland and Northern Ireland backed remaining in the EU.
In telephone interviews conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, respondents described the outcome of the referendum as a catastrophe for ethnic minorities in Europe.
Raymond Aste, a lawyer and political analyst who stays in London, said “I can understand concerns by white supremacists to stem the flow of immigrants into their country, but for the immigrant communities, it beats me as to how they considered voting to leave the EU.”
John Duniya who is resident in Scotland, said the Leave EU outcome meant ethnic minorities would not have protection from the EU especially on human rights issues.
“Secondly, the argument put forward by the leave campaigners on immigration control and better welfare for commonwealth citizens is just deceit. I bet you, their idea of commonwealth means Australia and Canada, not Nigeria, Ghana, India and Pakistan,” Duniya added.
Similarly, Yetunde Olivier, a member of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, France, said the development was bad for Europe.
“Britain should have pushed for renegotiation in areas it is not comfortable with rather than seek for exit. This is not only about immigration; it is about trade, currency, law and above all, supremacy. I hope at the long run Nigerians and others would not be kicked out of the UK,” she added.
Uche Obiano, a systems analyst who spoke from Switzerland, stressed the need for Nigerians in the diaspora to start considering going back home and contributing to nation building.
Obiano said “all this fear about uncertainty in the UK can be addressed if we start considering going back to our fatherland.”
“If Europeans developed Europe themselves, we can also go back home and contribute to nation building. Britons do not do cleaning, care-giving or security jobs. These can be very tasking and degrading but at the same time immigrants are seeking these jobs for survival. My opinion is that if you find life tough abroad, then go back home and hustle,” he concluded.