Previously deported Nigerian student looks forward to convocation in Regina

Earning a university degree is no easy feat, but Victoria Ordu is especially proud to convocate this spring, after her studies became the subject of national news. She spent time in hiding and was eventually deported during the time she was planning to work on her degree.

"By this time two years ago, I didn't think I was going to be done with school or my major graduating. I'm like, 'Oh my god, my life is over,'" she said in an interview with CBC. "But here I am, I'm still breathing."

The international student first arrived at University of Regina from Nigeria in 2009. In 2011, she and another Nigerian student, Favour Amadi, worked a couple of weeks at a Wal-Mart store off-campus before learning their student visas didn't allow it.

Seeking sanctuary in Saskatchewan

That's when Canadian Border Services got involved— and so did officials, including the Canadian and Saskatchewan governments and the University president, among others. Facing deportation, and communicating through an immigration consultant working on their behalf, the women hid in churches around Regina for more than 450 days while officials outside argued about their situation.

The federal ministers responsible for public safety and immigration at the time, Vic Toews and Jason Kenney, questioned in 2012 whether the women were students at all. University of Regina President Vianne Timmons fired back saying they absolutely were students when it happened.

Speaking to CBC in the fall of 2013, Ordu said, "I spent three years of my life studying here, and to go back without anything to show for it— it's painful, it's sad."

In October 2013, she and Amadi turned themselves in and were removed from the country. 

Rule change allows international students to work

The federal regulations were changed in 2014 to allow international students to work limited hours off-campus during their studies and breaks from university.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Canada told CBC the girls' cases "were not related to the regulatory changes that were made to the International Student Program." The statement went on to say the program was reviewed in 2011 and the regulation changes were first proposed in 2012.

The women returned to Regina in June, 2014 to fanfare from supporters at the airport, including the University president. Today, Timmons says the women's perseverance to complete their studies is a testament to their courage. She doesn't regret throwing her support and the support of the university behind them all along.

"What we did is the right thing. We stood up for these women, we said that what they did was not acceptable, but the punishment did not fit the crime, they should not have been deported. And I'm just thrilled they chose to come back to the university after that horrific experience," Timmons said. 

Ordu received her certificate in liberal arts from the university at a convocation ceremony last year. Now she's preparing to receive her degree in theatre and performance studies and health studies at a ceremony in June. She says the support of so many people while she and Amadi went through what she calls 'the deportation saga' encouraged her to achieve her goals. She was also inspired by the thought that some people might doubt she could get through it all.

"There are a lot of people who felt, 'Oh, now she's back, I don't think she's going to put up with the stress, she's missed a lot and she can't do it'. But voila, I'm done," she laughed. "So it's amazing."

Ralph Goodale was a Liberal MP in Regina while the women's deportation stood in the balance, and is now the federal minister responsible for public safety. He also wrote a statement praising Ordu's achievement in her education.

"I am just delighted to know of Victoria's success. It is a tribute to the courage and determination that she and Favour have demonstrated," it says, adding that their situation pointed out what he calls 'deficiencies' in the law with respect to newcomers. "When a person inadvertently makes a mistake with respect to visa rules, there should be a range of remedies to correct that problem. The drastic step of deportation should not be the only available option."

With her concentration in health studies and theatre, Ordu says she's interested in finding work in the health field, and expressing her artistic side in her spare time. She's also looking forward to seeing more of Saskatchewan, and travelling to new places in Canada now that she's completed her degree. She says Amadi is planning to receive her degree later this year, but doesn't want to speak about it until she's closer to finishing her studies.