By Okenna Omeje
My friend in Germany (Dike Ezema) advised that, if someone has a reasonable financial standing in Nigeria, they have no tangible benefits or opportunities to gain by relocating to Europe or Canada. They should not be deceived by empty and deceptive promises, he said. And I pointed out to him that life is beyond having money.
That money you have in Nigeria may not be enough to pay for your ransom if kidnappers find out your worth. When it involves you and other family members, that money will be joined with contributions from family and friends to pay for it, and if the kidnap victim was unlucky they would still get killed, irrespective of the ransom.
Long-term goals are many — what you regard as your goals may not be mine. But I know that long life for you and your children is one, and good security is another. In Nigeria, everything around you is a killer: Is it your medicine? Is it your driving out? Is it the building you are living in? Is it your food, water and provisions? Is it the police? Is it your hospital? How are they all regulated? They are all Chukwuzoba [under God’s protection].
Africans, in their way of life, have developed strong immunity to so many things, even though it is still telling on us. Compare Nigeria’s average life expectancy with that of the U.K. and Canada. Theirs is within 80 and above, but here 65 years is labeled as a life well spent.
Relocating abroad is all about your target, and while abroad it is either it builds you or it breaks you; the choice is yours. Plan yourself well — equip yourself with better information, know the best-paying field to develop yourself in, and work hard towards it.
From the perspective of one who is a big man here, if you get there with that mentality, you will fail. The basic thing is that you definitely have to start from ground zero, which many find difficult to do. They must integrate you into their system. Even if you have the money to establish a business there, there are processes you undergo to integrate into the business that will help you to not fail in that business.
We know there are more opportunities to start a business in Nigeria, but there are more possibilities in the same Nigeria killing that business with many challenges such as bad roads, insecurity, lack of power supply and other basic amenities, corruption, autocratic means of governance.
Someone’s long-term goal may not be to acquire wealth; it could be a good living, a good future for the kids, or a better retirement plan, especially if you work towards the country’s citizenship. If Nigeria were a country that keeps statistics, you would understand that life here is in God’s hands. They won’t let you know how many innocent Nigerians that die every year in the hands of security operatives who are supposed to protect you. Just last week, Lawson Obasi, an oil mogul based in Port Harcourt, the director of Sobaz Oil and his PA that owns about five filling stations (Dozzman Oil) in PH were attacked by gunmen on their way to their place in Abia from PH. Dozzman Oil was shot dead with some drivers. Sobaz, their main target, was taken away by the gunmen and the family members are yet to hear from them for demands. The three policemen with them all ran away. In most cases, after paying ransom, they still kill the person.
There’s no quiet life for you in Nigeria. You would always be going out with escorts (if you’re rich)! Talk about electricity: you won’t have power up to two hours per day, and this has rendered young people and businesses useless — you can’t engage in production without generators that must be fueled and maintained. That’s not to mention your inability to use house electric stoves, iron, fans, refrigerators, air conditioners etc.
How many times have you left your kids to play in a park with their friends without supervision. Do you trust anyone? Should your children remain in bondage in your home? Nigeria is nothing to write home about. About 95% of vehicles (trucks and cars) using Nigerian roads are not safety-worthy. Most water tankers and dump trucks you see on the road don’t have active brake systems; many are with worn-out tyres and so many other faults that could lead them to take many lives. And you meet them every day without knowing. God has been saving us but He hasn’t saved those ones that are already dead through acts of carelessness and negligence. They would always bring out their hands out of the window, dropping N500 to the road safety personnel who would park you with your 2023 model car, asking you for your driving licence, checking your tyre expiry date, and so on.
Inasmuch as death is everywhere and inevitable, avoidable and induced deaths are not everywhere. The worrying thing is that, even while bereaved, you get more depressed because the careless or avoidable deaths are not of any interest to agencies that are supposed to prevent the deaths or investigate them. They would rather use the opportunity to reap from the bereaved family further.
Once you open a pure water factory with a NAFDAC number, all you owe them is to be giving returns and renewing your registration. If you like, package water from Ohe river; you are good to go. No right-thinking person, especially the foreigners who have closed down their industries, would do so if all things were equal, especially if you are on the side of following the due process, not cutting corners, and not being involved in bribery.
The worst situation is that of workers in Nigeria. All your workers would want to steal, either physically or through misappropriation. So, a lot of factors are involved in surviving in this country.
In summary: What you think will work for you, try it out after critical thinking and planning. What didn’t work for you can work for others. If you do not have capacity (for those going for studies) to take care of your tuition and miscellaneous expenses throughout your study period without working, please avoid the West. So many Nigerians have become mentally unstable; some are homeless and out of status, while some have to eat aduro (asylum food) — all these are not good results.
Proper planning with a choice of where you’re going and the career you’re choosing is essential. Canada is usually the choice of many. Among the “Five Eyes” (FVEY) countries — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States — Canada has the most friendly immigration system. It has a lower cost of living. It has generous social benefits offer, including unemployment insurance, old-age security, and family benefits. Canada has a low crime rate. It is known for its innovation hubs, startup ecosystems, and supportive business environment.
* Omeje writes from Enugu, Nigeria.
