NZ citizen after 53 years

Frank Jakobs with wife Robyne, following his citizenship ceremony at the Skeggs Gallery in...
Frank Jakobs with wife Robyne, following his citizenship ceremony at the Skeggs Gallery in Dunedin this week. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Frank Jakobs has finally "bitten the bullet". For 53 years, the Dutchman has been living in New Zealand as an alien.

And after two previous attempts to become a New Zealand citizen, he was finally and officially made "one of us" at a citizenship ceremony at the Clifford Skeggs Gallery in Dunedin this week.

The 58-year-old was born in The Hague, in the Netherlands, and moved to New Zealand with his parents when he was 5.

"Things were pretty rough in the Netherlands, post-war. The country was still repairing itself 10 years after the war finished - there was high unemployment.

"My parents came to New Zealand for a better life, better working conditions."

Mr Jakobs said he received all of his education in Dunedin and eventually became an electrician.

He worked for Telecom as a telephone technician, and for Electrocorp, before establishing his own business - Mainline Electrical, in Dunedin.

So why has he taken so long to become a New Zealand citizen?

"Well, you know how it is.

"I've tried to get citizenship twice before over the years, but each time, something popped up - like losing my birth certificate, which meant I couldn't complete the documentation.

"I guess this is third time lucky."

Mr Jakobs' New Zealand wife Robyne said so much time had passed without a thought being given to the paperwork and documentation involved in gaining citizenship because he had prioritised raising their four children instead.

"There are some things that take precedence at certain times of your life," she said.

For all intents and purposes, Mr Jakobs said he already considered himself to be a Kiwi, and the citizenship ceremony was a formality.

"I'm proud to be a New Zealander. I feel like a New Zealander. I've lived here most of my life."

Mr Jakobs was one of 22 people who gave oaths or affirmations of allegiance to the Queen during the ceremony, and there were chuckles when close friend and Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin said he knew Mr Jakobs when he was just a boy.

Mr Chin congratulated him on finally becoming a New Zealand citizen.

Others swearing allegiance were: Miss Ruchika Madhushani Amararachchi and Mr Buddhika Dushan Amararachchi (Sri Lanka); Mr Ji-Sup Choi (Korea); Miss Siluafaga Fuataga (Samoa); Mr Lars Christian Detlef Grau (Germany); Ms Cornelia Johanna Maria Holloway (Netherlands); Mr Narong Intharasri and Mrs Watthanee Intharasri (Thailand); Mr Franciscus Petrus Johannes Jakobs (Netherlands); Mrs Sarah Denise Lindsay (Britain); Ms Melanie Mohr (Germany); Miss Michelle Elizabeth Lynda Oldman (Britain); Miss Grace Eun-Byeol Park (Korea); Miss Jessica Mei Ching Po (Malaysia); Miss Harsha Jyotika Prakash (Fiji); Mr Alexandru Razvan Radu (Romania); Mr David Ronald Alexander Shearer (South Africa); Mr Jian Wei Tay (Malaysia); Mr Andrew Colin Young (Britain); Mrs Safaa Zaki Henawi Zakary, Mr Peter Bahgat Amin Fanous Shenoda and Mr George Bahgat Amin Fanous Shenoda (Egypt).

 

 

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