Jason Njoku, the husband of Nollywood actress, Mary Njoku, said he can no longer live in Europe following their encounter with an immigration official in Venice, Italy.
The business mogul stated this on his Twitter page while reacting to a post by Sports journalist, Oma Akatugba, who revealed that he witnessed racial profiling for the first time in his life in Italy.
Akatugba had complained about how the officials at Milan Linate airport stopped only black folks for interrogation after passing security checks.
He wrote, “FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I CAN CONFIRM I EXPERIENCED RACIAL PROFILING.
“At the Milan Linate Airport, I passed security checks, as I walked towards the gates, two police men stationed in front of the security check stopped a black man dressed in a Senegalese kaftan.
“As I approach them, I see two other police men take him into their office. I get to them and they stopped me. He all asked for passport, I don’t have it with me here.l, I responded. Ok your ID he asked. I brought out my ID and he asked where I live, Germany I responded and he asked again, how much do you have on you? Weird question but I answered with I am broke, I don’t have 1 cent. I immediately said I am a football journalist, I came here for Inter VS Benfica, I pulled out my phone and showed him a video of @AndreyOnana and I and he went oh nice And handed me my Id and asked who I think would win the champions league. I said Manchester City and he said bye. I moved a bit away but stood to see the next person they would stop.
“Low and behold it was a black lady, while others were passing. They interrogated her and she left Before she left, they showed her something on their phone. So I wondered if they were looking for a black person. I accosted her and asked her what they asked her. Before she responded, I said, do you know they are stopping only black people? She said yes, this happens a lot in Italy.
“It’s really sad. I am surprised because I don’t see this that much in Germany. I see them stop both black and white and not based on colour. That’s what happens here a lot she said and I waved her goodbye. Italy generally still has terrible racism issues. It’s bad!!”
Reacting to Akatugba’s tweets, Jason Njoku shared the ‘unpleasant’ experience he and his wife had with an immigration officer in Venice sometime in March.
According to him, they were stopped at immigration and asked for their return tickets, but the officers probed them as hustlers and racially judged them, which made them laugh out loud and infuriated the immigration officer.
Njoku said that immigration officers did not ask them how long they would stay, but rather for their return tickets. They only let them go after he stated that they were staying at St Regis, an exquisite hotel in Venice, and were there for three nights.
He wrote, “@MrsMaryNjoku & I flew to Venice in March. Immigration asked for our return tix. Not how long are we staying o? But can they see our return tix? We burst out laughing😂🤣. Immigration was 🤬. Said it’s a ‘normal question’. Gave them our 1st class boarding tix, and asked them do we look like people here to hustle? We’re staying at St Regis &are here for 3 nights. They let us through. No need for showing any tix again.
“Walahi I personally can NEVER live in Europe again. ⛔️. We just need a strong 🇳🇬. But we all know it’s increasingly getting worst.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Mary Remmy Njoku was recenly named among the 2023 list of 50 most influential women in Africa by the prestigious American magazine, Forbes.
