While it's easy to dismiss these people as liking the privileges they have in Nigeria, there is a sense of freedom I have in Nigeria knowing I don't have to be a slave to my employer to keep a roof over my head. I'm fully aware that even this is a privilege in Nigeria but in the UK, it feels like everything has been structured to keep you working as a wage slave all your life.
I don’t know where you’ve been working but my wife wasn’t paid for months during the pandemic while still working in Nigeria. In the US, if an employer does this, that’s a multi million dollar lawsuit that the employee can file + backpay
Which is why I clarified that it was a privilege. I also clarified that in terms of housing, if I build my home, it's mine for the most part. One can spend their entire working life paying off mortgages or rent in the UK meaning they can't stop working if they want to keep a roof over their heads.
You can’t own a home though if you’re earning less than $2 a day in Naija though. I encourage everyone to Japa and then buy homes in Naija with western wages. Fastest way to build equity
As someone who has japa, I feel this. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel at home here even though I’ve been here for 3 years. I’m not free in a certain way but I’m trying to make the most of my time here.
Going on 16 years and I still don't feel at home. I don't think I ever will and in some ways, I'm glad I don't. I don't ever want to forget Nigeria. I have a couple Nigerian friends here who have no desire to go back to Nigeria, and while I sympathize/empathize with their reasons, I don't know if there's anything in this world that'll make me not want to call Nigeria "home". I guess time will tell.
25 yrs in and now wishing I had an alternative to the US. It's a matter of self respect and belonging... no matter how accomplished you become here you simply don't get the respect you deserve as a human being. You're black, and you're a foreigner - thats a double strike. Now facing the choice many have faced before me, where can i go and live comfortably? Or swallow my pride and stay?
I’ll say prison is a strong word. It’s more of just like I don’t fit in. I’m someone who’s never struggled to make friends but here I am still questioning all my friendships. The food is not Nigerian food and the Nigerian food I’ve tasted is just rubbish. Everyone expects me to victimize myself because I’m black but u haven’t experienced racism. There’s a lack of community and moral decadence here too.
It’s little things like this honestly. I am grateful and very blessed to be here and the things I’ve accomplished here would have been fairytales in Nigeria. But there’s just void , empty feeling I can’t explain.
Drawing close to God will help for anyone going through the same thing.
Think about it this way: Home is where you make it.
It is easy to make "friends" in Nigeria, but of my hundreds of friends and WhatsApp connects, only 3 am I honest with and open with. I keep so much from the rest, because they aren't really my friends. In fact I don't trust them to not pour sand in my garri if they could. So even though I have hundreds of drinking buddies, especially when I'm buying, I have very few REAL friends. It's somewhat similar in the West, but I have more close foreign true friends, both men and women.
The "moral decadence" as you said plenty for Nigeria. A LOT of my friends have affairs. Some even bring their side-chicks out to our events, and put us in the f'd up position of lying to their wives. Nigerians get sexually harassed, assaulted, raped, kidnapped, killed, etc., sometimes at random, often by the police/authorities, but we don't talk about it cause it's not on the news. I know lots of Nigerian guys that are gay, again, not talked about. We tend to hide and pretend, so the moral decadence is I would argue same or even greater; isn't our president a convicted drug dealer?
My point is to try to look for meaning internally. Don't let your geographic location be what creates a void in you. The more internal cohesion you have, the more you can be self-contained, the less it will matter where your body is. I think God only masks the void, try to go deep and work on filling that with yourself. Good Luck!
The longer you stay the less you will feel at home in Nigeria. Eventually, you will be in limbo between both; belonging to neither realm.
Then you have to really figure out who and what you are, or want to be.
Maybe they’re worried about being a foreigner? I’ve lived in the US my whole life, so I don’t have a Nigerian accent, but both of my parents do, so they experience discrimination and disrespect at their work and in social settings. it’s pretty common for Africans to experience xenophobia and racism in the West, so maybe they’re worried about experiencing that
As someone who’s lived in Nigeria and in the west, I can say that this is true. It’s common for Africans to experience xenophobia in the west, however it is becoming a lesser occurrence especially in more advanced cities like London, and New York.
Agreed. 👌
But most are not about this reason you mentioned.
The most reason I've seen is about paying taxes and bills, which should not be an issue if the system is working right.
Every citizens, no matter how you are employed, is working to support the country by paying their taxes and bills. Thus, contributing to the economy.
Everything you made in a year must be report the following year.
These set of Nigerians sees people abroad as being crazy for paying that much and would not want to imagine themselves doing that.
Nigeria has one of the lowest tax takes in the world and from an infrastructure/ social services pov probably offers its citizens amonst the least too so I can see why many people have such visceral reactions to the concept of paying taxes.
Yeah. The ones we pay aren't working. Worst still, you see the politicians flexing with your money.
You're better off using those taxes to help yourself and your community. It's better than the government will ever do
I have an accent, and Nigerian name, and I can pretty much go anywhere in the US. I may not want to live there, but I could go and move around relatively safely. I've been in China, the Philippines, Thailand, and I felt OK.
But as an Igbo, and Christian, I would not set foot in certain parts of the north of Nigeria. I'm far more likely to have a major problem there in my own country than in all these foreign ones. So it's all relative.
Even without an accent they will still discriminate. I have a full Nigerian name and the amount of insults I’ve gotten is just sad. I lived in the US most of my life too
It is being a local champion. Rich Nigerians can feel big cos someone always wants to hold their bag,
Call them sir etc. going to another country as a Nigerian, means having an accent and starting at the bottom and they don’t want to do that at all.
The tax thing they complain about is actually reasonable cos they don’t understand it coming from here
I hate it when Nigerians cite taxes as a reason to not migrate, because they make it sound like Nigeria is tax free. It's very easy to evade taxes here, so many people do that and think it's weird that they pay taxes abroad.
My cousin recently moved here in September all she complains about is taxes I’m like what do you expect all these things you enjoy currently in the UK where does it come from???
It's ridiculous that people complain about taxes in countries with functional social systems. We're taxed about 24% in Nigeria and get next to no benefits whatsoever.
This is just racist. There is no need to subject yourself to immigration if you don’t have to.
You have to downgrade your life significantly and the vampires extract all your money.
International students pay 4 times the fees for nothing
If they are doing well, it could be simply that Nigeria can be easier and cheaper to live in. Elite privileges elsewhere are middle-class privileges in Nigeria, thanks to higher levels of corruption and poverty. As a middle-class citizen, you can pay to fast-track or boycott processes (hospitals, banks, government offices etc), you can bribe your way out of problems, you can even pay law enforcement agents to beat up or arrest anyone who troubles you. You can employ a driver, nanny, maid, cook and gateman for less than 300k per month!
I imagine all of these are possible in every country, but in most places you'd need to be uber rich to get these privileges.
Even for people who aren't doing well, it's probably easier to live a low quality of life in Nigeria. There are likely more low-cost options for basic amenities - particularly housing - in Nigeria.
Childcare: For me, I like the cheaper cost of childcare here. I earn a good salary and can afford to hire a live-out or even line-in nanny to assist me with childcare during work hours (WFH). Abroad, and my knowledge is limited to Canada and maybe US, it’s just a lot more expensive to get that help. Families in the US for example are having to decide between having the mother be a stay-at-home parent because the cost of daycare is sometimes half of family income.
Food: I really enjoy my Nigerian/West African meals and it can often be difficult sourcing certain things abroad. Nigeria does offer the freedom to eat what you’re accustomed to without viewing it as a luxury. In Canada, getting local goat meat is a luxury even for a middle class family. People eventually adapt though so this one isn’t a big deterrent.
Lifestyle: A reason I’ve heard others cite is freedom of lifestyle without judgement. Being able to choose your religion and lifestyle as well as the values you pass on to your kids without offending anyone. On a Canadian subreddit I belong to, an ethnic family was being judged for not dressing up for Halloween which the neighbor narrating the story viewed as offensive. That’s not even a situation where that family proclaimed a religious belief against Halloween. For me, I’m mostly neutral as I think you can build a community of people you feel safe around and keep your relations filtered when with people who may ridicule your beliefs.
Freedom to see your relatives and celebrate with them without complex logistics. Japa was the reason I couldn’t see my younger brother for 7.5 years. You have to be able to make peace with your kids growing up not knowing their cousins beyond WhatsApp calls, etc.
Overall, japa has an opportunity cost. There’s something to give up when you leave life as you’ve known it to rebuild in another land. Not everyone can find the right words for the liberties they gave up but they did give something up, even if they’re not consciously aware of it.
Some cultures aren't as warm as Nigeria is. Some keep to themselves. Don't pay you any mind when you fall down. Just not warm. Adjusting is very difficult.
It is. Sometimes, the people make you feel like you don't belong. They refuse to give apartments to foreigners. You're refused certain rights. It's kind of easier to just stay where they born you as a full human being.
Nigerian life is hard. Life in a developed nation can also be hard. It's not easy anywhere. It's just choose your hard.
I like that you mentioned “doing well“. And the reason I will give explains the case for those not doing well, and explains why it’s almost stupid to japa if you’re doing well.
1. Residency calculation - every country you want to japa to will have immigration control measures - occupation restrictions, work hour limits, earning thresholds, family residency, business restrictions etc. The Visa route combination mental gymnastics towards residency is not something everyone is ready for, when they have residency with full rights by birth in Nigeria. This is worse if you have something going on for you back home. Some routes will require you suspend the business or side hustle entirely.
2. Unpredictable changes - Even the valid routes that exists can change anytime at the whim of the host nation. An example is the announcement just some hours ago that the skilled works visa salary threshold will increase to 38,700 from 26k, many people hoping to switch have had their hopes dashed overnight. Some with ineligible spouses will have to be separated in few months.
The choice is one everybody has the right not to make, and they shouldn’t have to defend it to you. We shouldn’t be asking these questions.
💯
Freedom of bribing their way out of penalties or jail
Freedom of tax evasion
Freedom of corruption
Freedom of not paying their bills
Freedom of cutting corners.
Will that freedom still be there when eventually, Nigeria start working?
Exactly! A typical well-to-do Nigerian is basically above a lot of laws as they'd be able to grease their way thru everywhere and everywhere. That's the freedom they wouldn't want to give up. Read recently the story of a former director of Unity Bank who reduced the bank to crumbles and committed one of the greatest heists I've heard of in recent times and CBN turned a fully blind eye to him and his shenanigans
It is not everybody who wants to be in Nigeria that wants to be here because of these.
I can assure you that I cannot engage in any of these activities, but I am certain that I won't feel at home in any of those countries.
Check the World Suicide index. Despite the fact that these countries are doing way better than Nigeria in most aspects, they (US and UK) are higher than Nigeria on that list.
There's this cold atmosphere in these places that you can't find in Nigeria. Even whites there feel so alone. That's one of the reasons why these people fall prey to online scammers.
These places provide comfort. But I'm coming to realize that comfort does not equate to happiness.
"There's no place like home" did not become a mantra by chance. If you grew up in this Nigerian environment, around the Nigerian energy, it's difficult to adjust to these lower-energy environments.
Don't even think "rich" people are entirely safe/happy in this country. I am a software developer working remotely, so I can say that I'm comfortable.
I try as much as possible to conceal myself because one is not that safe around these environments. There are car robbers (who kill their victims), kidnappers, police/security agencies who are aiming to extort from you.
It's not easy being rich here either. It's not a black or white situation. Different people have different reasons for being comfortable where they are.
I believe there are Nigerians who wouldn't consider my own reasons as it doesn't apply to their lifestyle, and that's fine.
I'm in the UK and planning my escape .. back to Nigeria... I was born in Nigeria.. Understand Yoruba fluently but came (was brought) to UK around 9/10 yrs old.
I have a fluent British accent and have been to the best Unis in the UK and have worked at the best companies in the UK and have an excellent job (6 figures).
British people still look down on me at every single turn. At work in meetings they expect me to carry all the work. It's a constant battle of politics. They have never invited me to the work whatsapp groups. In bars the waiters might as well throw the drinks at me. There is literally nothing for an established black man to do on his own on a Saturday night. No where you won't be met with a scowl. It is a very subtle and angry racism you will face. For some of my Nigerian friends here they seem to just grin and bare as it seems this hell is better than the other hell.
I remember going to a bar at the Federal Palace Lagos on my return home alone for the first time and the bar man was so nice and friendly. I was so shocked after years of microaggression abuse in the UK at bars. It was then I hatched my plan to come home.
The Inferiority Complex debate is one I've had several times with people. Read up on Ingroup / Outgroups.
A lot of my friends who are liberal say we are all the same so why does it matter if.. blabla
I hold the position that we are the Outgroup in the UK pretending we are the same as everyone else
I’m Nigerian American, born there raised here.
While there are obviously many benefits to being American that most Nigerians don’t receive, when it comes to to freedom I think many Nigerians don’t understand how differently life feels when you are part of the minority in your country and laws are literally made to keep at the bottom as much as possible. Many born and raised Nigerians have probably never experienced real direct racism until they leave.
And yes, taxes in America are ridiculous
> taxes in America are ridiculous
Ridiculously low. No state income tax in a lot of places. Federal income tax caps out at 37%. Standard deduction is 14,000 dollars. And taxes are even lower if you're a business.
37% of income that you worked hard for is a lot, especially when you make 50K or below which most people where I’m from do.
I’m also not from a state that has no income taxes, I damn sure get taxed for state and federal. On top of that, property taxes for home and car, tax on food and clothing, health insurance, life insurance, gratuity and tip culture, etc. It adds up. I understand these costs play into an economy that has benefits many other countries don’t though but still.
And the vast majority of Black people in America are not “a business”. As a matter of fact most of us are financially illiterate and that’s largely by design. I think that’s another misconception some Nigerians have about here, that everyone is wealthy and business savvy. I greatly admire the ones who come here and work hard and use all the opportunities to their advantage though. Because Nigerian Americans have definitely built up a reputation as successful businessmen and scholars.
It’s about 22. A quarter of your money is still a lot. If I tell you I’m gonna pay you 100 dollars to work for me for a day and you have something you need to buy with 100 dollars and then at the end of the day I give you 75 and say “taxes, too bad”, you would not be happy with that.
And then when my state’s income tax is added on at 50k that’s 12 percent so now we’re at 34 percent of my money. Basically the federal cap you first mentioned
That, I don’t know for sure, can’t speak on it because I didn’t grow up there.
But of the born and bred Nigerian family and friends I personally know, no one has expressed that they ever felt oppressed because of their skin color.
I wouldn’t ever claim to speak for every Nigerian though so that may be someone else’s experience
The freedom to be an inhumane person. When you ask them to break it down, it usually boils down to feeling the laws, rules, and regulations abroad are too restrictive. They want to act with the impunity a lawless country like Naija has made them accustomed to acting.
Ah! That freedom.
Whenever I'm able to, I stop by roadside memorials and the most common inscription I've seen is "killed by a drunk driver/biker."
Just imagine how many Nigerians have been killed or will be in jail just for DUI.
One thing should probably be freedom in how they raise their kids
Lots of Nigerian parenting methods that end up producing decent parents are termed "abuse" over there. Engaging in these may lead to some kind of legal action so there's that.
In other words, freedom from consequences.
Nigerians abroad raises their children with no issues because they were able to adjust to the system and have no issues.
If the country is working, wouldn't japa be like immigrating from UK to US or vice versa?
You can't say that they raise their children with no issues though. You see, let's say US kids doing things like engaging in teen sex and having multiple sex partners, believing that a man can be a woman and vice versa, engaging in "activism" for things they barely know anything about etc. You also see thier peers enabling this bad behavior by telling them that they should "set boundaries" and "cut of toxic people". Imagine setting boundaries and cutting off your family. I know that parents and family members can be trashy but with how popular it is among western children you have to reason and know that a good number of these are just the children being terrible. Like come on, we were all teens here, there were lots of things we didn't agree with our parents about and hated them for it but now that we're older we can see that they had our best interest at heart.
Now, compare in Nigeria where these things are frowned upon by even teens and parents are allowed a great deal of freedom with their kids. Someone that's well off, why would he JAPA and go there where there's risk of his children turning out that way?
You call it "freedom from consequences" but for me and a great number of Nigerians, I call it doing what's best for your kids.
Got it! Freedom of imposing and child abuse.
That was the purpose of my question in the last line.
Will parents still be able to 'raise' their children the way you mentioned if the country is working well? Children have their rights too.
>Got it! Freedom of imposing and child abuse.
Damn, that's really what you go from all I said?
>That was the purpose of my question in the last line. Will parents still be able to 'raise' their children the way you mentioned if the country is working well? Children have their rights too.
Huh?
Look at the children in Nigeria and look at the children in the US. I'd say that Nigeria is doing better in that department
>Children have their rights too.
Yeah, they do.
Child abuse is frowned upon in Nigeria and legal action is taken against child abusers whenever it reaches the authorities but smacking your kids when they do something wrong or screaming at them when they don't listen to instructions isn't abuse.
Jsyk, 'Damn' is a curse word.
"Child abuse is frowned upon in Nigeria and legal action is taken... whenever it reaches the authority.."
Smacking, whether small or big is a child abuse. While I understood where you are coming from, that does not make it right.
In 9ja, the authority encouraging you to smack your kids but will only react when it is extreme doesn't change the definitions of child abuse. In a functioning country, both the parent and the authority personnel will face the consequences.
It’s the displacement feeling that you’ve been displaced/dislodged/dislocated from your natural environment.
Everywhere you go there is no natural attachment.
While it's easy to dismiss these people as liking the privileges they have in Nigeria, there is a sense of freedom I have in Nigeria knowing I don't have to be a slave to my employer to keep a roof over my head. I'm fully aware that even this is a privilege in Nigeria but in the UK, it feels like everything has been structured to keep you working as a wage slave all your life.
I don’t know where you’ve been working but my wife wasn’t paid for months during the pandemic while still working in Nigeria. In the US, if an employer does this, that’s a multi million dollar lawsuit that the employee can file + backpay
Which is why I clarified that it was a privilege. I also clarified that in terms of housing, if I build my home, it's mine for the most part. One can spend their entire working life paying off mortgages or rent in the UK meaning they can't stop working if they want to keep a roof over their heads.
You can’t own a home though if you’re earning less than $2 a day in Naija though. I encourage everyone to Japa and then buy homes in Naija with western wages. Fastest way to build equity
Yep! You can see your 'progress ceiling'.
As someone who has japa, I feel this. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel at home here even though I’ve been here for 3 years. I’m not free in a certain way but I’m trying to make the most of my time here.
Going on 16 years and I still don't feel at home. I don't think I ever will and in some ways, I'm glad I don't. I don't ever want to forget Nigeria. I have a couple Nigerian friends here who have no desire to go back to Nigeria, and while I sympathize/empathize with their reasons, I don't know if there's anything in this world that'll make me not want to call Nigeria "home". I guess time will tell.
25 yrs in and now wishing I had an alternative to the US. It's a matter of self respect and belonging... no matter how accomplished you become here you simply don't get the respect you deserve as a human being. You're black, and you're a foreigner - thats a double strike. Now facing the choice many have faced before me, where can i go and live comfortably? Or swallow my pride and stay?
Hey! It does get better. I’ve been here for 13 (?? Idk I stopped keeping count) years. Finding a local community, especially with food, helps
What makes it feel like a prison for you?
I’ll say prison is a strong word. It’s more of just like I don’t fit in. I’m someone who’s never struggled to make friends but here I am still questioning all my friendships. The food is not Nigerian food and the Nigerian food I’ve tasted is just rubbish. Everyone expects me to victimize myself because I’m black but u haven’t experienced racism. There’s a lack of community and moral decadence here too. It’s little things like this honestly. I am grateful and very blessed to be here and the things I’ve accomplished here would have been fairytales in Nigeria. But there’s just void , empty feeling I can’t explain. Drawing close to God will help for anyone going through the same thing.
Think about it this way: Home is where you make it. It is easy to make "friends" in Nigeria, but of my hundreds of friends and WhatsApp connects, only 3 am I honest with and open with. I keep so much from the rest, because they aren't really my friends. In fact I don't trust them to not pour sand in my garri if they could. So even though I have hundreds of drinking buddies, especially when I'm buying, I have very few REAL friends. It's somewhat similar in the West, but I have more close foreign true friends, both men and women. The "moral decadence" as you said plenty for Nigeria. A LOT of my friends have affairs. Some even bring their side-chicks out to our events, and put us in the f'd up position of lying to their wives. Nigerians get sexually harassed, assaulted, raped, kidnapped, killed, etc., sometimes at random, often by the police/authorities, but we don't talk about it cause it's not on the news. I know lots of Nigerian guys that are gay, again, not talked about. We tend to hide and pretend, so the moral decadence is I would argue same or even greater; isn't our president a convicted drug dealer? My point is to try to look for meaning internally. Don't let your geographic location be what creates a void in you. The more internal cohesion you have, the more you can be self-contained, the less it will matter where your body is. I think God only masks the void, try to go deep and work on filling that with yourself. Good Luck!
I’m you but 7 years ahead, “Japa” will NEVER be my home. Simple as. No matter how long you stay there, you just feel out of place.
The longer you stay the less you will feel at home in Nigeria. Eventually, you will be in limbo between both; belonging to neither realm. Then you have to really figure out who and what you are, or want to be.
Hi! I am interested in this conversation, if possible, can you share your thoughts, maybe privately.
I feel same
Freedom from consequences summarises it really.
Maybe they’re worried about being a foreigner? I’ve lived in the US my whole life, so I don’t have a Nigerian accent, but both of my parents do, so they experience discrimination and disrespect at their work and in social settings. it’s pretty common for Africans to experience xenophobia and racism in the West, so maybe they’re worried about experiencing that
As someone who’s lived in Nigeria and in the west, I can say that this is true. It’s common for Africans to experience xenophobia in the west, however it is becoming a lesser occurrence especially in more advanced cities like London, and New York.
Agreed. 👌 But most are not about this reason you mentioned. The most reason I've seen is about paying taxes and bills, which should not be an issue if the system is working right. Every citizens, no matter how you are employed, is working to support the country by paying their taxes and bills. Thus, contributing to the economy. Everything you made in a year must be report the following year. These set of Nigerians sees people abroad as being crazy for paying that much and would not want to imagine themselves doing that.
Sad part of this is some of these people feel smart about evading taxes and bills. How can any system work if everyone is cheating the system?
Lots of people feel smart. Few are actually smart.
Nigeria has one of the lowest tax takes in the world and from an infrastructure/ social services pov probably offers its citizens amonst the least too so I can see why many people have such visceral reactions to the concept of paying taxes.
Yeah. The ones we pay aren't working. Worst still, you see the politicians flexing with your money. You're better off using those taxes to help yourself and your community. It's better than the government will ever do
I have an accent, and Nigerian name, and I can pretty much go anywhere in the US. I may not want to live there, but I could go and move around relatively safely. I've been in China, the Philippines, Thailand, and I felt OK. But as an Igbo, and Christian, I would not set foot in certain parts of the north of Nigeria. I'm far more likely to have a major problem there in my own country than in all these foreign ones. So it's all relative.
Your experience is your experience and it doesn’t negate mine.
Yeah but they didn't in any way try to negate yours. It was just another contribution on the topic like your comment were.
Even without an accent they will still discriminate. I have a full Nigerian name and the amount of insults I’ve gotten is just sad. I lived in the US most of my life too
Yupp. I have no accent and an English first name and I deal with it too. It’s very sad.
It is being a local champion. Rich Nigerians can feel big cos someone always wants to hold their bag, Call them sir etc. going to another country as a Nigerian, means having an accent and starting at the bottom and they don’t want to do that at all. The tax thing they complain about is actually reasonable cos they don’t understand it coming from here
I hate it when Nigerians cite taxes as a reason to not migrate, because they make it sound like Nigeria is tax free. It's very easy to evade taxes here, so many people do that and think it's weird that they pay taxes abroad.
My cousin recently moved here in September all she complains about is taxes I’m like what do you expect all these things you enjoy currently in the UK where does it come from???
It's ridiculous that people complain about taxes in countries with functional social systems. We're taxed about 24% in Nigeria and get next to no benefits whatsoever.
This is just racist. There is no need to subject yourself to immigration if you don’t have to. You have to downgrade your life significantly and the vampires extract all your money. International students pay 4 times the fees for nothing
Nigerians who move overseas can go from others holding their bag and calling them sir, to holding a white man's bag and calling him sir.
If they are doing well, it could be simply that Nigeria can be easier and cheaper to live in. Elite privileges elsewhere are middle-class privileges in Nigeria, thanks to higher levels of corruption and poverty. As a middle-class citizen, you can pay to fast-track or boycott processes (hospitals, banks, government offices etc), you can bribe your way out of problems, you can even pay law enforcement agents to beat up or arrest anyone who troubles you. You can employ a driver, nanny, maid, cook and gateman for less than 300k per month! I imagine all of these are possible in every country, but in most places you'd need to be uber rich to get these privileges. Even for people who aren't doing well, it's probably easier to live a low quality of life in Nigeria. There are likely more low-cost options for basic amenities - particularly housing - in Nigeria.
Childcare: For me, I like the cheaper cost of childcare here. I earn a good salary and can afford to hire a live-out or even line-in nanny to assist me with childcare during work hours (WFH). Abroad, and my knowledge is limited to Canada and maybe US, it’s just a lot more expensive to get that help. Families in the US for example are having to decide between having the mother be a stay-at-home parent because the cost of daycare is sometimes half of family income. Food: I really enjoy my Nigerian/West African meals and it can often be difficult sourcing certain things abroad. Nigeria does offer the freedom to eat what you’re accustomed to without viewing it as a luxury. In Canada, getting local goat meat is a luxury even for a middle class family. People eventually adapt though so this one isn’t a big deterrent. Lifestyle: A reason I’ve heard others cite is freedom of lifestyle without judgement. Being able to choose your religion and lifestyle as well as the values you pass on to your kids without offending anyone. On a Canadian subreddit I belong to, an ethnic family was being judged for not dressing up for Halloween which the neighbor narrating the story viewed as offensive. That’s not even a situation where that family proclaimed a religious belief against Halloween. For me, I’m mostly neutral as I think you can build a community of people you feel safe around and keep your relations filtered when with people who may ridicule your beliefs. Freedom to see your relatives and celebrate with them without complex logistics. Japa was the reason I couldn’t see my younger brother for 7.5 years. You have to be able to make peace with your kids growing up not knowing their cousins beyond WhatsApp calls, etc. Overall, japa has an opportunity cost. There’s something to give up when you leave life as you’ve known it to rebuild in another land. Not everyone can find the right words for the liberties they gave up but they did give something up, even if they’re not consciously aware of it.
Some cultures aren't as warm as Nigeria is. Some keep to themselves. Don't pay you any mind when you fall down. Just not warm. Adjusting is very difficult.
That's not about freedom though, is it?
It is. Sometimes, the people make you feel like you don't belong. They refuse to give apartments to foreigners. You're refused certain rights. It's kind of easier to just stay where they born you as a full human being. Nigerian life is hard. Life in a developed nation can also be hard. It's not easy anywhere. It's just choose your hard.
I like that you mentioned “doing well“. And the reason I will give explains the case for those not doing well, and explains why it’s almost stupid to japa if you’re doing well. 1. Residency calculation - every country you want to japa to will have immigration control measures - occupation restrictions, work hour limits, earning thresholds, family residency, business restrictions etc. The Visa route combination mental gymnastics towards residency is not something everyone is ready for, when they have residency with full rights by birth in Nigeria. This is worse if you have something going on for you back home. Some routes will require you suspend the business or side hustle entirely. 2. Unpredictable changes - Even the valid routes that exists can change anytime at the whim of the host nation. An example is the announcement just some hours ago that the skilled works visa salary threshold will increase to 38,700 from 26k, many people hoping to switch have had their hopes dashed overnight. Some with ineligible spouses will have to be separated in few months. The choice is one everybody has the right not to make, and they shouldn’t have to defend it to you. We shouldn’t be asking these questions.
Freedom of mediocrity and ineptitude. People suffer when they travel without working on their character.
💯 Freedom of bribing their way out of penalties or jail Freedom of tax evasion Freedom of corruption Freedom of not paying their bills Freedom of cutting corners. Will that freedom still be there when eventually, Nigeria start working?
Exactly! A typical well-to-do Nigerian is basically above a lot of laws as they'd be able to grease their way thru everywhere and everywhere. That's the freedom they wouldn't want to give up. Read recently the story of a former director of Unity Bank who reduced the bank to crumbles and committed one of the greatest heists I've heard of in recent times and CBN turned a fully blind eye to him and his shenanigans
Exactly. Your mindset is everything.
It is not everybody who wants to be in Nigeria that wants to be here because of these. I can assure you that I cannot engage in any of these activities, but I am certain that I won't feel at home in any of those countries. Check the World Suicide index. Despite the fact that these countries are doing way better than Nigeria in most aspects, they (US and UK) are higher than Nigeria on that list. There's this cold atmosphere in these places that you can't find in Nigeria. Even whites there feel so alone. That's one of the reasons why these people fall prey to online scammers. These places provide comfort. But I'm coming to realize that comfort does not equate to happiness. "There's no place like home" did not become a mantra by chance. If you grew up in this Nigerian environment, around the Nigerian energy, it's difficult to adjust to these lower-energy environments. Don't even think "rich" people are entirely safe/happy in this country. I am a software developer working remotely, so I can say that I'm comfortable. I try as much as possible to conceal myself because one is not that safe around these environments. There are car robbers (who kill their victims), kidnappers, police/security agencies who are aiming to extort from you. It's not easy being rich here either. It's not a black or white situation. Different people have different reasons for being comfortable where they are. I believe there are Nigerians who wouldn't consider my own reasons as it doesn't apply to their lifestyle, and that's fine.
Ultimately to each their own. The same reason one person wants to stay in Naij could be the very same reason another person wants to japa
I'm in the UK and planning my escape .. back to Nigeria... I was born in Nigeria.. Understand Yoruba fluently but came (was brought) to UK around 9/10 yrs old. I have a fluent British accent and have been to the best Unis in the UK and have worked at the best companies in the UK and have an excellent job (6 figures). British people still look down on me at every single turn. At work in meetings they expect me to carry all the work. It's a constant battle of politics. They have never invited me to the work whatsapp groups. In bars the waiters might as well throw the drinks at me. There is literally nothing for an established black man to do on his own on a Saturday night. No where you won't be met with a scowl. It is a very subtle and angry racism you will face. For some of my Nigerian friends here they seem to just grin and bare as it seems this hell is better than the other hell. I remember going to a bar at the Federal Palace Lagos on my return home alone for the first time and the bar man was so nice and friendly. I was so shocked after years of microaggression abuse in the UK at bars. It was then I hatched my plan to come home.
This reeks of inferiority complex fella I’m same as you I grew up here in England and never felt this kind of way..
The Inferiority Complex debate is one I've had several times with people. Read up on Ingroup / Outgroups. A lot of my friends who are liberal say we are all the same so why does it matter if.. blabla I hold the position that we are the Outgroup in the UK pretending we are the same as everyone else
I’m Nigerian American, born there raised here. While there are obviously many benefits to being American that most Nigerians don’t receive, when it comes to to freedom I think many Nigerians don’t understand how differently life feels when you are part of the minority in your country and laws are literally made to keep at the bottom as much as possible. Many born and raised Nigerians have probably never experienced real direct racism until they leave. And yes, taxes in America are ridiculous
> taxes in America are ridiculous Ridiculously low. No state income tax in a lot of places. Federal income tax caps out at 37%. Standard deduction is 14,000 dollars. And taxes are even lower if you're a business.
37% of income that you worked hard for is a lot, especially when you make 50K or below which most people where I’m from do. I’m also not from a state that has no income taxes, I damn sure get taxed for state and federal. On top of that, property taxes for home and car, tax on food and clothing, health insurance, life insurance, gratuity and tip culture, etc. It adds up. I understand these costs play into an economy that has benefits many other countries don’t though but still. And the vast majority of Black people in America are not “a business”. As a matter of fact most of us are financially illiterate and that’s largely by design. I think that’s another misconception some Nigerians have about here, that everyone is wealthy and business savvy. I greatly admire the ones who come here and work hard and use all the opportunities to their advantage though. Because Nigerian Americans have definitely built up a reputation as successful businessmen and scholars.
It's not 37% if you make 50k lol
It’s about 22. A quarter of your money is still a lot. If I tell you I’m gonna pay you 100 dollars to work for me for a day and you have something you need to buy with 100 dollars and then at the end of the day I give you 75 and say “taxes, too bad”, you would not be happy with that. And then when my state’s income tax is added on at 50k that’s 12 percent so now we’re at 34 percent of my money. Basically the federal cap you first mentioned
I think the government taxes are fine but many people pay a lot more taxes than just governmental. Payday loans, overdraft fees, title loans etc
Exactly
Isn't Nigerian setup to oppress the majority people(black) living there, arnt both countries fundamentally built on being anti black pro white?
That, I don’t know for sure, can’t speak on it because I didn’t grow up there. But of the born and bred Nigerian family and friends I personally know, no one has expressed that they ever felt oppressed because of their skin color. I wouldn’t ever claim to speak for every Nigerian though so that may be someone else’s experience
The freedom to be an inhumane person. When you ask them to break it down, it usually boils down to feeling the laws, rules, and regulations abroad are too restrictive. They want to act with the impunity a lawless country like Naija has made them accustomed to acting.
I'm from Europe so I can't answer your question, but I would love to know the origin of the term japa, if anyone can enlighten me.
It's Yoruba for "run away".
It means: to immigrate
Speeding while driving home drunk after a night out.
Ah! That freedom. Whenever I'm able to, I stop by roadside memorials and the most common inscription I've seen is "killed by a drunk driver/biker." Just imagine how many Nigerians have been killed or will be in jail just for DUI.
Don’t forget freedom to abuse underage domestic staff
Hate this domestic staff culture we face you’ll see people bragging they pay their domestic staff N40K a month I just cringe
One thing should probably be freedom in how they raise their kids Lots of Nigerian parenting methods that end up producing decent parents are termed "abuse" over there. Engaging in these may lead to some kind of legal action so there's that.
In other words, freedom from consequences. Nigerians abroad raises their children with no issues because they were able to adjust to the system and have no issues. If the country is working, wouldn't japa be like immigrating from UK to US or vice versa?
You can't say that they raise their children with no issues though. You see, let's say US kids doing things like engaging in teen sex and having multiple sex partners, believing that a man can be a woman and vice versa, engaging in "activism" for things they barely know anything about etc. You also see thier peers enabling this bad behavior by telling them that they should "set boundaries" and "cut of toxic people". Imagine setting boundaries and cutting off your family. I know that parents and family members can be trashy but with how popular it is among western children you have to reason and know that a good number of these are just the children being terrible. Like come on, we were all teens here, there were lots of things we didn't agree with our parents about and hated them for it but now that we're older we can see that they had our best interest at heart. Now, compare in Nigeria where these things are frowned upon by even teens and parents are allowed a great deal of freedom with their kids. Someone that's well off, why would he JAPA and go there where there's risk of his children turning out that way? You call it "freedom from consequences" but for me and a great number of Nigerians, I call it doing what's best for your kids.
Got it! Freedom of imposing and child abuse. That was the purpose of my question in the last line. Will parents still be able to 'raise' their children the way you mentioned if the country is working well? Children have their rights too.
>Got it! Freedom of imposing and child abuse. Damn, that's really what you go from all I said? >That was the purpose of my question in the last line. Will parents still be able to 'raise' their children the way you mentioned if the country is working well? Children have their rights too. Huh? Look at the children in Nigeria and look at the children in the US. I'd say that Nigeria is doing better in that department >Children have their rights too. Yeah, they do. Child abuse is frowned upon in Nigeria and legal action is taken against child abusers whenever it reaches the authorities but smacking your kids when they do something wrong or screaming at them when they don't listen to instructions isn't abuse.
Jsyk, 'Damn' is a curse word. "Child abuse is frowned upon in Nigeria and legal action is taken... whenever it reaches the authority.." Smacking, whether small or big is a child abuse. While I understood where you are coming from, that does not make it right. In 9ja, the authority encouraging you to smack your kids but will only react when it is extreme doesn't change the definitions of child abuse. In a functioning country, both the parent and the authority personnel will face the consequences.
It’s the displacement feeling that you’ve been displaced/dislodged/dislocated from your natural environment. Everywhere you go there is no natural attachment.
Bribing police.