One retired 74-year-old Ghanaian man wey don live for UK for nearly 50 years must wait for 10 years before di Home Office go let am fit stay permanently for di kontri.

Nelson Shardey wey come from Wallasey for Wirral, for many years bin assume say im officially don become British citizen.

E only discover say no be so for 2019, afta e don pay taxes all im adult life. Now, e must pay thousands of pounds to stay and to use di National Health Scheme (NHS).

Di Home Office don refuse to comment on di ongoing legal case.

"Nobody ever query me"

Retired newsagent Oga Shardey bin first come UK for 1977 to study accountancy, on student visa wey allow am to work.

Afta one coup for im kontri, Ghana, im family no longer fit send am money for di school fees.

E begin do different jobs like baking Mother Pride bread and Kipling Cakes near Southampton, and Bendick Chocolate for Winchester. E say nobody ever question im right to live or work for UK.

E marry one British woman and dem move go Wallasey to run im own business, one newsagent dem call Nelson News.

Wen dat marriage end, e marry anoda British woman and dem get two sons Jacob and Aaron.

"I try my best to educate dem di best way I fit, so dat none of dem go need depend on social or anything," Oga Shardey tok.

E tell im sons to "learn hard, get good job, and work for themselves", and di two of dem go university and dey work as research scientist and public relations executive.

Oga Shardey say im no ever comot for UK, as e see UK as im home.

"Nobody question me. I buy all my tins on credit, even di house.

"Dem give me mortgage. And nobody question me about anytin," e tok.

Oga Shardey don perform jury service, and for 2007, e collect police award for bravery afta e fight one robber wey bin dey attack one delivery man wit baseball bat.

But for 2019, wen e apply for passport to go back Ghana afta di death of im mother, dem tell am say e no be British.

Di Home Office say im no get right to dey for UK.

'I no fit afford to pay'

Officials tell am to apply for di 10-year route permanent immigration status wey dem design for pipo wey wan come work for UK.

E go cost about £7,000 for di 10 years plan, and £10,500 for di same period to access di National Health Scheme (NHS).

"I no fit afford to pay any part of di money dem say make I pay," Oga Shardey wey dey recover from prostate cancer tok.

"To tell me to go through dat route na punishment, and e no dey fair in any way."

"I no understand di reason for all dis wahala, because I put my life, my whole self into dis kontri. "

Wen e try to extend im right to stay for UK online two years ago, e fill di wrong form.

E mean say di 10-year process need to start again for 2023.

As a result, dem no go allow oga Shardey stay for UK permanently until e clock 84.

"I bin tink say na joke," im son Jacob, wey be researcher for cardiovascular physiology tok.

"Why e go need to go start dis 10-year route wen e don dey here since 1977?

"E don tey for here pass di pipo wey dey work for Home Office on im case.”

'Exceptional facts'

Wit di help of Nicola Burgess, one lawyer for Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU), Oga Shardey dey carry di Home Office go court now.

Im case – wey im sons dey try to pay for through crowdfunding – na say di Home Office suppose treat im case as exception because of di length of time e don live for UK, and because of im bravery award and service to di community.

"We know say at least one caseworker don look im file and go don suggest say make dem grant am indefinite leave to remain because exceptional facts dey ground," Ms Burgess tok.

"And wen you look di mata on personal level, if Nelson na your friend or your neighbour, you go agree say dem suppose give am immediate right to settle."

One tok-tok pesin for Home Office say: "E go dey inappropriate to comment on active legal proceedings."

How to become British citizen and how long e go take

To become British citizen na one of di most difficult and expensive citizenship processes for di world.

Many of di tens of thousands of pipo dem dey accept as UK citizens every year go face years of preparation and bills of between £5,000 and £10,000.

Di Home Office go charge dem final £5 for The Oath, one ogbonge part of di ceremony wey applicants go swear "allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth di Second, her heirs and successors according to law".

British citizenship go give you di right to live and work for UK permanently, without any immigration restrictions.

You need British citizenship before you fit apply for UK passport.

To get British citizen by naturalisation na di most common way to get citizenship and dat na if dem born you outside UK and if you no get British parent.

Before you apply for citizenship, you need get permission to live for UK permanently. For example, you need to get indefinite leave to remain or ‘settled status’ from di EU Settlement Scheme. You need to do dis even if your husband, wife or civil partner na British citizen.

Oda requirements dey wey you must meet but e dey easier to meet di requirements if your husband, wife or civil partner na British citizen.

Di requirement na if you don live lawfully for UK for three years. You don pass di Life for di UK Test, qualification say you fit speak and understand English and if you get good character.

However, if you no marry British citizen, you go fit apply for British citizenship if you don live for UK for five years and get indefinite leave to remain for UK or settled status.

Oda compulsory consideration na:

*Di pesin must be ova 18

*Prove say dem don dey live for UK exactly 5 years before di day Home Office receive dia application.

*Prove knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic

*Pass di life for UK test

*Show say im wan continue to dey live for UK and get good character.

Di applicant go usually get a decision within 6 months - some applications fit take longer.


Nelson Shardey wit im two sons wen dem dey young


Nelson Shardey receive im police bravery award for 2007