‘Being Nigerian Abroad Now Complicates Your Life’ — Catholic Bishop Reveals

The Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Godfrey Onah, has lamented what he described as discriminatory financial restrictions against Nigerians abroad, recounting how he was required to obtain special authorisation to withdraw his own money from a Vatican bank.

Onah said the restriction was based on his Nigerian origin, despite his position as a Catholic bishop, describing the experience as both amusing and irritating.

The cleric made the disclosure while addressing an audience in a video shared by NigeriaStories on X on Wednesday, where he narrated his recent experience at the Vatican Bank and raised concerns about restrictions allegedly targeting Nigerians seeking to access financial services in Italy.

According to him, the development has made life more difficult for Nigerians living abroad, as their nationality has become an obstacle in accessing services available to other people.

“For us Nigerians, the very fact that you are a Nigerian is a problem. Complicates life for you. Those of you who are here in Italy and you are Nigerians, and you recently sought to open accounts with PostPay, I don’t know whether you succeeded.

“But you no longer can. The rule is only for Nigerians,” he said.

Recounting his experience at the Vatican Bank, Onah said he visited the institution two days earlier to withdraw money from his account but was informed that he needed authorisation from the administration or secretariat because he had exceeded the permitted cash withdrawal limit.

He said the development surprised him because he had not encountered such a requirement previously.

“I was amused and also a little irritated. It wasn’t that way before,” the bishop said.

According to Onah, a priest, Father Johnson, who accompanied him, sought clarification from the bank on whether the restriction applied to everyone or specifically to bishops.

He said the response indicated that the rule was tied to the place of birth.

“So I asked Father Johnson, who was with me, really was the one who asked, is this for everybody or only for bishops? And the answer was shocking.

“Depende da dove e nato. It depends on where you were born. So this rule is specific, targeting Nigerians,” he said.