S’Africa Criticized Over Junior D’Tigers Visa Denial

The South African Consulate denied Nigeria’s Afrobasket men’s U-18 basketball players visas, resulting in several social media criticisms.

The head of delegation, Ugo Udezue, confirmed that the team were later issued visas and are expected to arrive in Pretoria on Wednesday, a day later than their expected arrival date.

Reports emerged on Monday that the South African Consulate at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, refused to grant the Junior D’Tigers visas as the team missed their trip for the championship and subsequent FIBA World Championship.

The Nigerian boys were billed to face Egypt on Tuesday.

Despite intervention from the Nigeria Basketball Federation, which reported the incident to FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, the young boys were denied entry on Monday while their female counterparts, who were camped in Lagos on their return from Ivory Coast, where both teams finished as winners of the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers, were granted visas.

The act by the South African Consulate has forced several Nigerians to swarm social media and take a knock at their government.

Joseph Akpanessien wrote on Facebook, “Thinking about the history we share with South Africa, one would have thought that ours would be the strongest of ties. Unfortunately, who can now speak of a united Africa?”