Emdee Tiamiyu, the Youtuber, has apologised over his controversial comment about Nigerian students in the United Kingdom.
Tiamiyu, who is also a Nigerian, in a chat with BBC, argued that some of his compatriots do not travel to the UK for academic purposes but for greener pastures.
“People are looking for alternatives. They want to escape 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. They need the degree as an access route to come into the country.”
His comment — which came at about the same time when the UK said it will restrict foreign students from bringing family members with them from 2024 — attracted a chorus of condemnation on social media.
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. pic.twitter.com/zAZZXY9TEh
Advertisement— Dr Penking™🇳🇬🇦🇺 (@drpenking) May 24, 2023
I don’t understand how you can say someone doesn’t need the degree he dedicated time and effort to obtain.🤦🏾♂️. This Emdee tiamiyu is just dumb🤦🏾♂️
— saintnull (@etherchildnull) May 24, 2023
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I think the first step should be to take down that his YouTube channel
Emdee Tiamiyu no deserve anything good for him life… Osho pic.twitter.com/YeHptAQoK2— Brown Edu (@brownedu_dcr) May 24, 2023
On the one hand, if all the Nigerians he has “helped” to the UK via study visas were interested in immigration rather than education, then Emdee Tiamiyu is an unscrupulous individual who should be scrutinised by the UK Home Office.
— 'Fisayo Soyombo (@fisayosoyombo) May 24, 2023
In the wake of the criticism, the YouTuber, who is known for advising Nigerians on studying in the UK, put out a video on his YouTube apologising for his initial remark.
Tiamiyu said he was only speaking on the challenges that the black community genuinely faces, adding that his interview had no ulterior motive.
“I am doing this without any script or anyone telling me what to say and how to say it. I am doing this from the reflections and the truthfulness of my heart,” he said.
“If you have seen the interview/news feature, please I am sorry for any inconvenience that this may have caused you.
“If what you have seen being circulated, what you watched, had made you uncomfortable in any way at all, I want to say that I am deeply, deeply, deeply, and sincerely sorry.
“For whatever pain that you feel, I feel even more, because if I meet you in person if we were able to sit in the same space, probably engage, there is nothing in my heart for you other than love, progress, and positive support. People who know me in the world know that this is what I have got.
“There is no other motivation than to grant an interview to speak on the challenges that we genuinely face as a black community back at home and also in the UK.”
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