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Bill Gates Denied Visa To Nigeria

Xight notes a Gizmodo story that is a few days old but hasn't gotten a lot of play. It seems that Nigeria recently denied Bill Gates a visa to travel there on his recent trip to Africa. The initial denial was "on the premise that they required proof he would not reside in Nigeria indefinitely, causing a strain on social services and a general nuisance for immigration." The comments to the post are worth reading too.

26 of 405 comments (clear)

  1. Misreading by psychicsword · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow I miss read that one...
    I read it as "Bill Gates Denies Vista for Nigeria"
    They would be very lucky if that was the case

    1. Re:Misreading by jmpeax · · Score: 5, Funny

      I read it as "Bill Gates denies Viagra".

      Then again, it is 5:55am here and I have just finished an essay.

    2. Re:Misreading by ShieldW0lf · · Score: 5, Funny

      The comments attached to the article are great

      windows 98...shame on you
      windows Me...shame on me
      windows vista...GTFO of our country


      Funniest think I've read all week

      --
      -1 Uncomfortable Truth
    3. Re:Misreading by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      What makes it even funnier is that the son of the President of Nigeria, an overweight whiner named Dare Obasanjo, actualy works for Microsoft. Indeed, Billy boy consulted him before going to Nigeria to learn about the political climate there. (Nigeria is currently the most corrupt country in Africa).

      Some background: Dare uses his father's political power as an excuse to act like an ass in the halls of the Borg - you may remember the amusing Flame War between him and Al Billings. (Al Billings is a whiner who can't get anything of value done (cf Netcaptor/Borgzilla/MSN Explorer), probably blames it on management, and unfortunately now does QA work at Firefox). Because he "isn't afraid to criticize" (ie shouts louder than everyone else) Dare Obasanjo has a reputation as being exactly the forward thinking kind of guy who might bring new revenue streams to Micro$oft, instead of what he actually is, a loudmouth frat boy type living off his father's name.

  2. Misread as... by Megane · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Bill Gates denied Vista to Nigeria"

    For a moment I wondered if Microsoft was trying to do something about 419 scams.

    --
    #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    1. Re:Misread as... by edwardpickman · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually it was. Bill Gates was trying to go there to personally pick up his 10 mill for helping some one transfer money out of the country.

  3. The only way he's going to become a nuisance... by wanderingknight · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...is if he plans to give away Vista CDs.

  4. What's next? MasterCard? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know he's rich, but does he really have the power to deny credit cards to entire countries?

  5. My Dearest by Bluesman · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bill Gates my Dear,

    we are deeply grateful sorry to not be approval of your visa into the country of Nigeria. The reasons for not doing so are abundant in nature. Please to rectify the following dear concerns we have:

    1) ur dick is 2 small. This pleases no Nigerian woman and is offensive toward the women. You think having average sized cock is OK? Regards, no.

    2) we believe for you want to reside in Nigeria indefinitely, causing a strain on social services and a general nuisance for immigration. If this is not your meaningful wish, offer to us a letter in explanation.

    3) You aren't really want to come to Nigeria, no? Tell us who you, in reality, are in person.

    Nigerian customs will make you a real man!

    Very Regards,
    Nigerian Immigration.

    --
    If moderation could change anything, it would be illegal.
    1. Re:My Dearest by Bluesman · · Score: 5, Informative

      Troll? Oh come on now, Nigerian moderators! Have a sense of humor.

      You know, I try to only post funny stuff now, and every negative mod I get brings the ol' karma down, since the funny mods, like goggles in acid, do nothing.

      Once that karma hits zero, I'm taking my ball and leaving, and you all will be left with nothing but Monty Python quotes and Soviet Russia and Overlord jokes.

      --
      If moderation could change anything, it would be illegal.
  6. Hello, My Name is Bill Gates by istartedi · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hello, My Name is Bill Gates. Due to a recent administrative difficulty with the government of Nigeria, I himbly beseach your assistance in helping to move my $40,000,000,000 ass there. I will be so kind as to deposit a portion of this money in the account of your specification. Your assistance in this matter great isly apreciated, your servant, Bill Gates.

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  7. did they even hear what they were saying? by deathtopaulw · · Score: 5, Funny

    who could possibly want to stay in nigeria indefinitely?

    1. Re:did they even hear what they were saying? by darkpixel2k · · Score: 5, Funny

      Umaru Musa Yar'Adua?

      Jar Jar? Is that you?

      --
      There's no place like ::1 (I've completed my transition to IPv6)
    2. Re:did they even hear what they were saying? by TapeCutter · · Score: 5, Funny

      "who could possibly want to stay in nigeria indefinitely?"

      Shell, BP, Texaco,...

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  8. Nigerian economics by The_church_of_funzie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Someone was just looking for a bribe, that's all.
    Nigerian economy is in a crapper.

  9. Bill didn't follow standard operating procedure by Lachrymite · · Score: 5, Interesting

    As an American who actually worked in Nigeria for awhile a few years ago, I can tell you what the problem may have very well been; he probably didn't give the proper cash "donations" to the right people.

    I actually had some problems with getting in myself that my employer had specifically prepared me to deal with, giving me a supply of local cash and instructions to use it liberally to ease my travel process. 500 Naira in the right hands turned the officials from meddlesome and probing to very welcoming in record time.

  10. Bill Gates purchases minor country by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The BBC is now reporting that Bill Gates has purchased the entire country of Nigeria. According to insider sources massive restructuring will occur in order to bring the property back into profitability. Layoffs are expected.

  11. Reminds me of an old story... by Lemmy+Caution · · Score: 5, Funny

    A friend of a friend (OK, so this is probably just a joke...) is entering Australia for an extended work contract, and the immigration official asks him if he has ever been convicted of a crime in his country of origin. He replied, "I didn't realize that was still a requirement for entry."

    If it's not a true story, it should be.

    1. Re:Reminds me of an old story... by porpnorber · · Score: 5, Funny

      My Dad was once going to the States from Canada. The border guard asked him if he was carrying firearms. He replied, "My God, is it really that bad here? Do you seriously recommend it?"

      While I thought it was funny, I will also admit that I didn't think it was the brightest thing to say at that time and place... but I guess clergy can get away with some things.

    2. Re:Reminds me of an old story... by Bloke+down+the+pub · · Score: 5, Funny

      cut up my bars of soap
      I had the same going into France. Apparently they'd bever seen it before.
      --
      It's true I tell you, feller at work's next door neighbour read it in the paper.
  12. Re:That's the language the US uses by ScentCone · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I guess it cuts both ways.

    Yeah, other than the whole part where "he donates billions of dollars for health care and education" in that miserable country and its continent. Yes, there's SUCH a risk of him being a strain on their social services. African applicants for US visas face reality when they apply to come to the US. Nigeria denying Gates a visa isn't even remotely the same thing, and suggesting that it is cheapens the work and patience that would-be immigrants to the US have to show if they're not going to be illegal.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  13. Integer overflow? by Samir+Gupta · · Score: 5, Funny

    Was Nigeria using signed ints to indicate an applicant's financial status? I could see Bill's balance causing an overflow and appearing in the negatives leading to misinterpretation...

    --
    -- Samir Gupta, Ph. D. Head, New Technology Research Group, Nintendo Co. Ltd., Kyoto, Japan.
  14. Re:That's the language the US uses by HexaByte · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Yeah, other than the whole part where "he donates billions of dollars for health care and education" in that miserable country

    Precisely the problem. If they let him in, he'll find out it was all diverted to greedy government officials and cut them off!

    --
    HexaByte - he's a square and a half!
  15. Canadian perspective by freeweed · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yeah, I tend to get grilled heading across the border. The US border guards seem to think my plan is to sneak in, and live in the US permanently.

    Seriously. Dude. I'm already a citizen of CANADA. Don't flatter yourselves.

    (note for the humour-impaired: I actually did consider the move before 9/11 - but today?? It's hard not to laugh at the border when they accuse me of this.)

    --
    Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
  16. *URGENT* HELP NEEDED TO TRANSFER FUNDS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    From: billgates@microsoft.com
    X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106
    X-Mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106
    Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:11:04 +0000

    Dear friend,

      This letter might come to you as a surprise as we have not met
    before,but I believe that you would be compelled to help me after
    going through the contents of this letter.

    My name is William Henry Gates III, borned October 28, 1955. I am a
    American entrepreneur, philantropist and chairman of Microsoft,
    a american software companny.

    Basically, I was involved in maintaining my statusquo as the richest
    man in the world until August (2007), when a Mexican bilionaire called
    Carlos Slim surpassed my wealthy in (1) billion american
    dolars. He (Carlos Slim) did not stop at that; he also went on to
    afirm that his monopoly would be larger than mine.

    As at this momemt, I have grudgingly gone to Nigeria, in disguise, to
    undertake seizure of a hiden part of my fortune, totalling an extra USD
    $28,750,000,000 (twenty eight billion, seven hundred and fifty million
    United State Dolars) that I obtained from several russian organizations
    for facilitating scams, trojans and keyloggers business in Windows(tm)
    systems. However, since I must fake otherwise, I can only
    unlock the money in the local branch of my bank in Abuja, but I cannot
    take the money back with me.

    Hopefully, however, I can use the services of a Diplomatic Courier to move
    this money (registered as official docments) out of Nigeria to America.

    All you need to do is to claim this money from the Courier Company. You will
    be required to contact the Courier Company that moved this money (oficial
    documents) out of Nigeria to America. All neccesaries which can facilitate
    andn enable you claim the money on my behalf will be forwarded to you as
    soon as your consent to procced is received.

    For your assistance, you will be entitled to 20% of the total sum. This is
    over US $5,000,000,000 (five billion United State Dolars) for you, my friend.

    Can you help me? Are you trustworthy? Can you handle this money? Are
    you capable of handling this money? If so, please contact me.
    I will send instructions on how you must make a (symbolic) small initial
    deposit by Western Union or MoneyGram (at your personal choice) to the Courier
    company which will be promptly returned to you, just to prove that you have
    a working bank account that can receive the aforementioned large sum of money.

    Please send me your account details and address so that we can make this
    whole transaction as quick as possible.

    Your sincerely,
    Mr. William Henry Gates (the third)

  17. The real reason ... by SuluSulu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Give visa to Bill Gates? Cancel or Allow?