Two Nigerian students in Canada spend one year in Churches while their colleagues graduates

Victoria Ordu has one wish for her 22nd birthday on June 28 - to be granted permission to continue her studies at the University of Regina.

She and fellow Nigerian student Ihuoma Amadi have been in sanctuary for one year today; compelled into hiding after they were ordered to leave Canada for unknowingly breaking their study permits by working for two weeks off-campus.

The Leader-Post told their story last September, but after spending 12 months in the sanctuary of a Regina church, they look years wearier than they did then.

Kay Adebogun, a Regina immigration consultant who took on their case pro bono, speaks about keeping the faith and remaining strong.

As he does so, Amadi scrunches her hands into fists and puts them over her eyes, her head hanging down.

Unlike September, neither of the girls cries; it seems almost as though they've shed the tears they have.

"It's emotionally draining," admits Ordu.

"We can only hope for the best and pray (immigration minister) Jason Kenney makes a decision that will help us."

She looks at her feet, playing with her flip-flops.

When Ihuoma and Amadi first sought sanctuary, they were hopeful things would be resolved in short order.

"I didn't even think we'd spend Christmas in here, to tell you the truth," Ihuoma says.

"I didn't see that coming at all."

But now the other students they came to Canada with are graduating and heading home to Nigeria, which Ordu says is "heartbreaking."

Nigerian government officials have been in touch but, while they support the pair and assure them their academic scholarships will still stand if and when the situation is resolved, the girls say there's little they can do.

There are phone calls home to family whenever possible, though Ordu says it's hard talking to her parents and trying to encourage them.

"They're really, really devastated," she says.

"We have to call them to make sure they don't worry. It's hard to talk to them, but ... they support and encourage us and we do the same for them."

Ihuoma and Amadi also keep up to date with their supporters via a blog, which they say has made the world of difference.

Those supporters, says Sean Tucker, assistant professor with the U of R faculty of business administration, come from everywhere.

"Wherever I raise this case - here in the university, out in the business community - everyone has the same view," he says.

"Enough is enough; let's let these girls get on with their education. We all made mistakes when we were young, but to ... be denied a degree really will have severe implications for the rest of their lives."

Even the provincial government and opposition are united in their support for the girls and, on June 7, U of R president Vianne Timmons wrote a letter to Kenney, hoping he would grant them a temporary resident permit to allow them to continue their studies.

"The punishment far exceeds the nature of the offence, meaning that these young women have lost an entire year of their academic careers - and more importantly, of their lives," she wrote.

For his part, Adebogun is hoping for a resolution "very soon."

"I don't call this an anniversary, because what do they have to celebrate? It's one year of detention more than anything," he says.

"I know there are a lot of things going on in Ottawa right now, but we don't want this to be buried."

Source: leaderpost.com