'Japa': Nigerians living abroad recount struggles

Many Nigerians see relocation to other countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States as an achievement that is worth celebrating.

For some of those who left the country in pursuit of a better life, their experiences are fraught with struggles.

Giselle Okorie, a US-based Nigerian, said relocating abroad opened her eyes to the harsh reality of surviving in a foreign land foreign.

“Upon my arrival, it almost felt like I had made it in life. It wasn’t until the reality of paying bills and standing up for oneself kicked in. No one advises you to brace yourself for the amount of hard work you have to put in to make ends meet,” she said.

Okorie lamented the tuition international students are required to pay. “My research shows we get charged at least 2.5 times what people born here are charged,” she said.

She complained that “racism is very real”, saying: “The racism didn’t hurt till it started to hurt. People are of the extreme, they either overreact or underreact. I wouldn’t say I haven’t had good times; they just come at a price.”

She added: “The price of working endless shifts so you can afford to be where you need to be. Time waits for no one, being punctual is part of the country’s system. So far, I would say I have managed to make those ends meet but at the cost of working while going to school, to me that counts as a success but at the price of me coming back home every day and feeling extremely tired.

“Some days, I get home so tired I fall asleep with my shoes on. Meanwhile, most people my age (23) back home aren’t stressed as much because our culture permits us to relax at our parents’ house and not be bothered by anything.”

While some have been able to weather the challenges experienced abroad, there are some who have found themselves drowning under the weight of one pressure after the other.

Gladys Okoroafor, who relocated abroad with her entire family to the UK, also shared her experience with BusinessDay.

She said: “We secured a single-room apartment in Southern Wales within a shared flat where we had other residents. At one time, we were told by our old co-tenants that we could not use some of the appliances.

“My first job was as a caregiver in an old people’s home. Yes, many people back home thought we were rich because of the exchange rate gap between the dollar and the naira. However, the truth is that even with the income of my husband, we found it hard to make ends meet over here.”

Some Nigerians work as hospital volunteers where they have to wheel out bodies from the morgue to the chapel of rest for families to view. Others do menial jobs such as security guards, caregivers, and cleaners to survive.

Despite the odds, many Nigerians are managing to pull through by dint of hard work and determination.

William Ajayi, who got admitted to a tertiary institution in the UK, was also given a work permit that enables him to work while schooling, and his children were admitted to high schools free of charge.

“Though there are bills to pay, what I earn in a week when converted runs in millions of naira. If you don’t have someone over here to assist, it could be difficult. But with determination and focus, I tell you, it is far better than living in Nigeria,” he said.

Another Nigerian who migrated to the UK about two years ago, described her experience so far as “the most interesting challenging experience I have ever had.”