By Goodluck Ikiebe
Nigerians desperate to travel abroad have been warned to desist from the marriage contract scheme, as many men are trapped by it.
Travel agency expert, Ruth Joseph-Audu, who issued the warning in an interview with Daily Trust in Lagos, admitted that Nigerians are moving in numbers to seek greener pastures in foreign countries, but lamented that some fall into the trap of mischievous traveling agencies.
She said many homes are bearing the brunt of illegal marriage schemes while some Nigerians spend as much as N24 million to school in Canada for a year.
“There are a lot of Nigerians in the United States, they go through marriage agreements, and their wives are here (in Nigeria) suffering. I have a lot of people whose wives are here, and their husbands are trapped down there in the name of contract marriage, and the ladies there are not making things easier,” said Joseph-Audu, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Ur Fast Track abroad.
She said that travelling abroad for greener pastures is a good decision, but frowned against how some agencies have made it difficult for some Nigerians.
“We need to get it right. Getting into a contract marriage is not an option because the problem that comes with it cannot be taken care of easily because once you are in a contract unless it expires, you cannot actually opt out. The resolution is very negative, especially for the man.
“We shouldn’t entangle ourselves into contracts we know nothing about just because we want to travel abroad. Life has not become so bad in this place that you put yourself in an unending problem,” she warned.
She revealed that her agency offers work permits in a bid to make it easier for travelers, as well as establish a refund policy to build trust.
Similarly, the Global Migration Research Institute, GMRI and Universal Migration Enlightenment Centre, UMEC, have urged those intending to travel abroad to come for proper counselling before embarking on their journey to the new abode.
The President, GMRI, Professor Williams Azuma Ijoma, told newsmen in an exclusive interview in Abuja that it is good for Nigerians abroad to be wary of such marriage contracts because of its booby traps against men.
“Let Nigerians be cautious about this marriages usually contracted to get work and stay permits”, Ijoma advised.
