UNREPORTED! Short Stories
01
Bisi Balogun
“There was just emotion everywhere. I shouted out loud, I started crying. I was literally just sat at a bus stop when my life changed forever. I looked down and saw the word ‘hello’ appear on my phone and I was like, should I even look? It was the same jolt of fear I get every time my phone buzzes. Then I saw the words ‘Good news!’…
I was on the phone with a friend through all of this and he just asked what happened. I said, ‘I’ve got my stay’.
It’s been a long journey since leaving Nigeria, I had my first asylum interview in 2021. Now I pray for the others that are waiting, one day we can all rejoice together.”
Bisi – Aug 2023
02
Adamu
Extract from iNews article by Patrick Strudwick (July 26th 2023) interviewing our service users:
“Adamu didn’t know what was in the concoction he was being forced to drink – herbs perhaps; no one ever told him. But he knew what the physical effects were. ‘I felt horrible, I started vomiting, purging,’ he says. And he knew why he was made to gulp it down: to rid him of the demon of homosexuality.”
“In Nigeria where Adamu was born and raised, conversion therapy – attempts to ‘cure’ LGBT people – can take different forms than the kind found in the UK and US. The underlying belief is not just that being gay is wrong and sinful, but a mark of satanic possession that requires exorcism. This can include the laying on of hands, deliverance ceremonies, and the use of potions to make you vomit. Adamu’s mother, aunt, and other members of the family would stand over him, demanding he take the drink, checking to see he was swallowing the liquid that was supposed to make him heterosexual…
Read Full Article by clicking here
*names changed for anonymity purposes
03
Olawunmi Kazeem
“Have you reported to the authorities from your home country to seek protection from them, they say? The same authorities that arrested, persecuted, dehumanised and almost killed me?
What was your crime, some would ask? My only crime was for being me, I answer. 31st January 2020, my life literally flashed before my eyes, my world crashed and my day became an instant night!”
Olawunmi – January 2024
04
Anonymised ARF Service User
“My asylum journey was a tragic one, around 2021 I had a stroke while in the hotel that the Home Office provided me with. The stress and fear of me being sent back to Nigeria was all over me because I knew the threats I’ll receive [as a lesbian].
I started suffering from migraines and was told by my doctors that my right hand and leg was partially paralyzed. So I was left thinking about my health and my status in the country, this lead me into a state of depression.
I have a teenage daughter who applied for university. She would always cry because funding for her tuitions is difficult, as the status we had didn’t allow her to apply for Student Finance. After my interview I was suppose to receive a transcript of the interview after 7 days but nothing came which made me anxious and scared.
I started thinking negative about my whole case because 1 month came and I heard nothing, 2 months came and I also heard nothing. It was African Rainbow Family who gave words of encouragement and told me my status is on the way.
Then, around January 2024, I was coming back home and saw a brown letter by my door mail box . I opened it and it was my daughter’s Resident Permit that stated she had her leave to remain. I was filled with so much joy that day. If you are still waiting for your decision , don’t be afraid. Just wait, your own time will come and you will also get this miracle like I did.”
Anonymised service user – May 2024