Like everybody else, President Tinubu is back to work after a very intense, traffic-inducing Detty December. But unlike some of you who are yet to draw up your plans for the year, the president has shared the policies he plans to introduce in 2025. 

If you typically yawn at the mention of policies, there are chances that you will enjoy this piece because I asked ChatJibiti (not to be mistaken for ChatGPT) to rank Tinubu’s new policies for me. 

Multipurpose National Identity Card (ChatJibiti rating (2.5/5)

President Tinubu is giving Nigerian fintech a run for their money with the proposed multipurpose National Identity Card. The president has approved the creation of identity cards that also double as payment cards—as in, cards that display your identity and net worth.

With this new ID, you can withdraw money, pay for stuff online, and do anything with a payment card, no matter what bank you use. The federal government is partnering with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Afrigo payments to pull this off. They are also banking (pun is highly intended) on these cards to reach 100 million Nigerian citizens. So, there’s a high chance that you’ll be getting a new identity card soon. 

What ChatJibiti thinks: Collecting this card might be a do-or-die affair judging by the federal government’s history of humbling Nigerians. In 2020, telecom companies and FG formed a toxic bromance, followed by threats to ban  sim cards of Nigerians who hadn’t registered for their National Identity Numbers (NIN). 

You probably know the history better than I do, but the threat led to crazy queues that made the collection of NIN cards look like the devil’s idea. Seeing as the goal is to reach 100 million Nigerians (who are likely not interested in getting new IDs), I’d nicely suggest that you start getting ready for similar threats and queues. The card itself isn’t a bad idea because it will increase financial inclusion (especially in rural areas), which is stuck at 64%. I don’t hate it, and I don’t like it, so it’s a 2.5/5 for me.

National Youth CONFAB (ChatJibiti rating (1.5/5)

For a country whose population is largely made of young people, the Ministry of Youth has been inactive for way too long. Tinubu must be tired of paying the  salaries of everyone in the ministry and seeing no results because he’s finally giving the ministry real work.

In October 2024, President Tinubu’s screen time hit the roof (because Nigerian youths had a lot to say about his administration on social media). Instead of clapping back like any other social media user, he made things slightly more physical by proposing a gathering of youths, fancily named The National Youth Confab. 

The confab will be attended by young Nigerians from all over the country. They will be tasked with putting their heads together to propose solutions to social issues like education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. The Ministry of Youth is likely to keep the selection process public and transparent, so there’s a chance you might be invited. 

What ChatJibiti thinks: You might want to reduce your expectations to zero because a similar confab was pulled off during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and was an absolute mess. It was so messy that even the ideas birthed during the confab were never implemented. Forgive my pessimism, but I hope history doesn’t repeat itself. If it works out, though (and a president finally chooses to implement great ideas from the largest demography in the country), it could be a great thing. Very heavy on “could”, so I’d rate it 1.5/5.

National Credit Guarantee Company  (ChatJibiti rating (4/5)

The president wants to “enhance living standards” by making it easier for Nigerians and key sectors of the economy to access credit. 

What ChatJibiti thinks: Nigerians need more loans than ever before (thanks to some famous policies by the same president who’s proposing this new policy). I’m not mad at this at all because it means easier access to loans for average Nigerians and businesses when it kicks off in the second quarter of 2025. I still don’t know all the details, but it’s good thinking on Tinubu’s end. 

 Tax Reform Bill  (ChatJibiti rating (2/5)

The tax reform bills are four separate laws designed to organize everything about taxes and how they’re managed in Nigeria into clear categories.

These bills are still being debated in the National Assembly, but they are expected to be passed in the coming months. Although several Nigerians and some leaders are still against these reforms, President Tinubu doesn’t seem like he can be talked out of implementing them as soon as possible. 

What ChatJibiti thinks: Taxes are important, especially for a country that’s still struggling to monetize its non-oil sectors. But one of the tax reforms the president is proposing includes an increase in Value-Added Taxes (VAT). Not only will this make basic items like food, electricity, and transportation more expensive, but it will also contribute to the financial frustration Nigerians are currently facing. I think the president needs to go back to the drawing board for this one. 

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When Dubem and his wife moved to the UK three years ago, they had no idea that the “for better or worse” part of their vow would become literal. He talks about how he and his partner were able to survive a long-distance marriage, health issues, relocation and financial stress.

When did you start considering japa as an option?

Japa has never been a strange concept to me; It’s a normal thing in my family. All my siblings left the country on the student route, and I left Nigeria using the Spousal Support  Visa route. 

I initially preferred Canada, but my wife got a job in the UK, so we had to move here instead. We made the decision because it felt like we were working hard and earning well in Nigeria but weren’t seeing any results. It just felt smarter to start over in a country with systems in place to make your life easier.

How’s that going?

So, we left the country with a ten-year plan. The idea was to return after ten years and set up our business. We planned to save up at least ₦100 million in capital.

We’ve been here for two years and are about 20% close to our savings goal. But recently, we had to buy a car. We paid in cash because we were still holding on to the Nigerian mentality that you are better off saving than relying on the credit system, which is a working credit system here. I’m only just now starting to accept that it’s a better way to make big purchases. We also had a baby.

Congratulations!

Thank you. That gives you an idea of why we’re still at 20%. I’m confident that we’ll go harder soon. 

When we first moved, we lived in two different towns about seven hours’ drive away from each other, but that allowed us to focus on working as much as we could and earning a lot of money.

We used to travel to see each other once a month and spend a weekend together. Recently, though, things have changed, and we now live together. We now have other things taking our money, but we’re definitely still on track for that long-term goal.

How long did you guys live apart?

Almost a year. 11 months apart.

How did that affect your relationship?

We are not strangers to long-distance relationships. When I met my wife, I was schooling in the north, and she was transferred to work in Abuja. We decided to stay friends, but as time progressed, we started dating. When we started dating, I got a job in Abuja, and she got another job in Lagos. So doing long distance in the UK was no different.

You mentioned that you left on a spousal support visa. What did the process of getting the visa look like?

The UK’s National Health Services is one of the biggest employers of immigrants in the UK. My wife is a radiographer, so there were good job opportunities for her. We started the process before getting married, but COVID-19 forced us to deprioritise it.

The first thing we did was to register with the licensing board here. To do that, you need to present specific certificates showing that your education in Nigeria is equivalent to the UK’s requirement. This stage would also require you to present a statement of result. In our case, getting that document wasted our time because Nigerian universities can be somehow.

Once you can satisfy their requirements for that award, you get a license proving you have the right to practice in the UK. Once you pass that stage, you pay the registration fee and everything else.

The next thing is to apply for jobs that offer sponsorship. Those are the kinds of jobs that can give you the documents you need to apply for your visa. In our case, relocating with this visa took almost 10 months because we had issues with our passports. We both decided to renew our passports before leaving, and even though we paid for the fast track, it took us about two months to get that passport. We also had to prove that we were married.

We got our marriage certificate from a small court in my wife’s hometown, so we worried it wouldn’t be internationally acceptable. The court in question had no verifiable email or contact information, so a friend advised us to attach a PDF containing pictures of our wedding day, and that was what we did. 

Another process that frustrated us was getting the tuberculosis test. You can only take the test in a UK-approved home centre. Getting a date for the test was hell; Something that should typically take weeks ended up lasting for about two months. We nearly lost the sponsorship from her employer because they thought she was unserious. Thankfully, everything worked out in the end.

Thank God!

Yeah. The final thing we needed was a police character certificate to prove that we were not criminally wanted in our country. Some parts of the application process for this certificate can be done online, but you have to go to the police station for your biometrics and other things. I remember my wife leaving the house around 8 am and getting back around 6 pm. That was because there was a long queue, and the process was unnecessarily stressful. She even had to pay a policeman about ₦2,000 to quicken the process.

God abeg. So, what was it like settling into the UK?

My wife’s employer had an apartment ready for her when she arrived in the UK, but there was a rule against me living there. She was living close to London while I  had to move to Newcastle.

I was squatting with a friend whose apartment was big enough for two people. But getting a job wasn’t easy for me even though I was well educated and had a great portfolio. 

After some rejections, I realised that they didn’t necessarily respect my Nigerian education. It wasn’t a question of competence because I wasn’t even getting interview invitations. Some Nigerians in the UK advised me to apply for factory or supermarket jobs, and that was what I did. I didn’t even last up to two weeks before I fainted at work–I had to do lots of heavy lifting while working from 6 am to 6 pm, and we weren’t allowed to sit at all during those 12 hours.

At first, it was just a fall, but I picked myself up immediately then I fell again, and I was asked to go home. I was stuck at the bus stop for hours, and it was freezing. I hadn’t made enough money to buy a proper winter jacket. The one I had was the second-hand jacket I bought from Yaba. I can’t remember the details, but it was at the bus stop I ultimately passed out.

I somehow ended up at my friend’s place, but  I insisted on not going to the hospital (as I was later told). I was unconscious for three days, and when I regained consciousness, the first thing I did was put in my resignation.

So sorry about that experience. Did you get a better job after you quit?

I got a customer care representative offer about a week after that experience. It felt like a big downgrade because I was the head of marketing in a company when I lived in Nigeria. I was about to sign the offer when I got led by the Holy Spirit to check the company review. Thank God I did because it was about two stars out of ten. So, I just emailed HR to inform them that I won’t be moving forward with the role.  I started applying again and eventually got a job by recommendation. The job would make me move to Kent, much closer to my wife’s location.

I took the job, and I’ve been working there ever since. One of the reasons why I’m still there is because I have empathetic employers. My wife had a complicated pregnancy, and we used to be in and out of the hospital.

At some point, the NHS stopped paying her because she had been sick for more than 60 days in nine months. But my employers were very understanding. I had to be in the hospital as much as my wife; we didn’t have anybody else to help, but my employer never complained about my absence. All they asked me to do was to take my laptop to the hospital, join a few meetings in the morning, get some tasks done, and that’s all. Then, they allowed me to take another one or two days off, and my income was never deducted based on all of this.  They are great people.

Love that for you. Do you have any tips for couples that want to japa through the spousal support visa?

This is more of an advice than a tip. Be open to not being physically together for a while. Go where the money is, even if it means maintaining a long-distance relationship. Other couples might be lucky enough to get a well-paying job in the exact location, but they should keep an open mind.

Another thing you should do is work hard. You should both be working if you’re coming into the country as a couple. Nobody should sit around waiting for a dream job when other options exist to make money. But you should also make life easier for anybody with the sponsorship. For instance, I do the hospital runs for our baby while my wife focuses on not slacking at work because my job is more flexible.

What happens if she slacks at work?

If her employer isn’t satisfied with her performance, they can choose not to renew her visa. God forbid, but if that happens, she can apply for another job that comes with sponsorship before the visa expires. In the worst-case scenario that she doesn’t get a job, the UK government will give her about 60 or 80 days before declaring her an illegal immigrant.

Interesting. What’s one thing you love most about living in the UK?

It’s the constant access to power supply. As little as it may seem, that’s my favourite thing.

How happy are you with your life in the UK?

Oh, very happy. Things have fallen into place in the last three years. I love my job and my church.

I have a strong community here–We watch each other’s kids, celebrate, and help each other in many ways. Since my wife gave birth, we’ve not had her mom or mine come for omugwo, but the mothers in our church haven’t given us a reason to feel their absence. My wife gave birth to our baby through cesarean section, but these women were so helpful during the healing process. They would bring both of us food and help with the baby. That’s to give you an idea of the kind of community we have.

 Want to to share your japa story? Please reach out to me here. 

Before you read them: Hi, I’m Margaret (call me Mikun, please), and I’ve risked my mental health at least 100 times to bring these stories to you. I’ll be sharing my honest thoughts and never-heard-before details from each of these stories. 

1. “My Husband Ghosted Me. Now I Live With His Brother in the UK”

This story was loved by some and hated by others, but everybody agreed on one thing – it was interesting. I found it striking that Instagram folks were happy to help the subject of this story, while people on Elon’s app had countering reactions. Read the story to figure out where you stand. 

2. “My Aunt Brought Me to The U.S. and Tried to Marry Me Off” 

For many reasons, this is probably my favourite Abroad Life story of 2024. Ofonime, the subject of the story, has seen the worst side of humans, yet she’s determined to live as freely and happily as possible. Imagine leaving the love you have at home just to go and experience real-life horror in the diaspora. The interview felt like therapy and all I wanted to do was cry with her. Read the full story here.

3. “I Left a Comfortable Life in Nigeria to Share a Room with Seven People in the UK”

Typically, we expect people’s lives to automatically get better after relocating, but for Mariam, the subject of this story, it was the opposite. She went from living comfortably to enduring the worst accommodation arrangement in the UK. Mariam’s story forced me to ask myself how I would have handled such a big change. I didn’t figure out the answer, but you should read the full story to see how Mariam handled it

4. “I Became Poorer In Germany After T-Pain Became President”

This story is proof that anybody can be touched by this T-pain economy, even the people who japa’ed to avoid it. Akin’s story is more than his financial situation,; I personally think the guy won in life. This story made me appreciate real love and look within to figure out if I’d be as supportive as Akin’s partner if my partner and I ever find ourselves in the same situation. It is probably one of the most heartwarming stories of the year. 

5. “My Sudanese Partner’s Bride Price is $10,000. We Might Just Elope” 

I was having a bad day before I interviewed Daniel. Ten minutes into the interview, I was already having the best laugh of my life. Daniel is an interesting man who will probably need a GoFundMe campaign to marry the love of his life, but he’s not bothered. I don’t know what I find more amusing – his love for Ibadan or his girlfriend’s way of indulging him. After writing this story, I decided that I was going to visit Ibadan to see what Daniel loves so much about the town. When you read the full story, you’ll probably do the same. 

With that, the 2024 season of Abroad Life comes to an end. Next year, we’ll be back with more fascinating stories from the diaspora. 

Do you want to share your Abroad Life story? Please reach out to me here. For new episodes of Abroad Life, check in every Friday at 12 PM (WAT). 

In 2024, we promised to find the perfect way for you to japa, and thanks to the Zikoko subjects who are not fans of gatekeeping life-changing information, we found the best japa routes for you. From free schools to high-paying international jobs, there’s something for everyone in this end-of-the-year version of 1,000 Ways to Japa. 

P.S. I’m Margaret (the cool kids call me Mikun), and I get the best tips from these amazing people. I will share some inside gist from my conversations with each of these subjects while I rank their japa routes from “Ate” to “Meh”

Attend a free school in Switzerland (Ate down 1000/10)

The best things in life are free, even if those things take you away from your 6-figure business in Nigeria. For the second edition of 1k Ways to Japa, I spoke to this businessman who left his thriving business to study in Switzerland. At first, I thought he was crazy because if my hand touched what he earned in Nigeria monthly, best believe I would be enjoying a capitalism-free life in Ogbomosho.  But when he explained that his school is technically free and he gets the chance to restart his life with his savings in a stable country like Switzerland, I rated his move like mad. If you’re looking for the most affordable way to say goodbye to this country, he shared all the details in this article. 

Start a business in Rwanda (Ate – 9.5/10)

Visiting Rwanda is one of the highlights of my  2024, so when I found Daniels, the subject of this story, I knew I had to book an interview.  Before you go, “Why would I leave Nigeria for Rwanda?” Think again because it’s a highly functional country with impressive systems and amazing people.

The subject of this edition of 1k Ways to Japa got so tired of being profiled by police in Nigeria that he moved to Rwanda. It was supposed to be a temporary move, but he fell in love with Kigali, and the move became permanent. Moving to Rwanda is easy; you get a 30-day free visa and peace of mind. Read more about this japa route in this Daniels’ story.

Get a funded study opportunity in the US (Ateeee – 10/10)

When I think about scholarship opportunities, the US is always the last country on my mind. I think that’s mostly because I never really hear about those opportunities. Thanks to Tunde, the subject of this 1k Ways to Japa story, I now know that there’s something called “assistantship programs” that can help you japa to America in 2025. Read more about Tunde’s japa story here.

Apply for a UK Global Talent Visa ( Ate 8/10)

I used to think I knew everything about this visa, but I didn’t know anything. Micheal, the subject of this story, took me to the school of immigration and walked me through the process of getting this visa. If you work in tech and have at least two years of working experience, this is probably the perfect opportunity for you. It’s one of the most-read japa stories of 2024, and you’ll understand why when you read it here.

Move to Canada with a work permit (Ate 7/10)

It took weeks to get Isreal, the subject of this edition, to tell his japa story, but it was worth it. Israel is a pro when it comes to getting jobs from your favourite international companies, so I knew I had to pick his brain. If you’re trying to make it out of the trenches by moving to Canada with a work permit, Israel’s story is one you need to read.

It’s been a great year for 1,000 Ways to Japa. We’ve told interesting stories, found affordable japa routes and learnt lessons that people would typically gatekeep from our amazing subjects. We’re curious to see how much more we can achieve next year. Be the first to know when a new edition drops next year.

 Want to to share your japa story? Please reach out to me here. 

I don’t have plans to trigger any PTSD, but what’s a 2024 recap without a compilation of the worst policies that hit Nigeria within the year? 

From “God abeg” to “Affliction shall not arise again”, here are 2024’s most interesting policies. 

New National Anthem Bill

In May 2024, Nigerian lawmakers signed the National Anthem Bill, pushing for a return to the old anthem ( written by a British man), “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”

Even though we’ve learned to live with it, the decision didn’t sit right with many Nigerians, especially given how quickly it was passed when the country had more pressing issues to address. Despite public criticism, this bill wasn’t withdrawn, and Nigerian lawmakers didn’t act like they gave two shits about public opinion.

We’ve gone through all five stages of grief as a country. Some of us have arrived at acceptance while others are somehow stuck in the sixth stage of national grief – the no be Tinubu go tell me wetin I go do stage. 

6-year presidency bill

In June 2024, a group of 35 lawmakers proposed a bill that would have extended the maximum number of presidential and gubernatorial leadership from four years to six years for a single term. The proposal attempted to amend Sections 7, 135, 137, 180 and 182 (1) of the 1999 Constitution. The lawmakers involved claimed the bill would cut governance costs and lead to a more stable political climate. But Nigerians haven’t had enough luck with good leaders to buy into that dream. 

The lawmakers behind the bill have lowkey ghosted, and we haven’t heard about it for a while.

VAPP repeal bill

In August, the worst fear of many Nigerian women happened. Senator Jibrin Isah, a MAN in governance, started pushing to repeal the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act. If this is your first time hearing about this act, the first thing you need to know is that it offers protection against gender-based violence (GBV) for men and women and helps keep all genders safe, empowered, and educated throughout Nigeria. You should also know that Nigeria didn’t have a national law on violence against women before the VAPP Act.

In 2002, over 55 groups formed the Legislative Advocacy Coalition Against Violence Against Women (LACVAW) to advocate for women’s protection. Their efforts led to the VAPP Act, which was passed and signed into law in 2015. 

Senator Jibrin’s main argument in calling for the repeal is that the act is not comprehensive and has unclear parts that make it hard to enforce properly. He argues that the law needs to be updated to reflect today’s issues. After being met with criticism from women’s rights groups and Nigerian women, the bill’s future started looking shaky. It’s hard to figure out whether Senator Jibrin is still standing on business, but we won’t be surprised if he pops up again in 2025 with the same energy.

Road Safety Special Armed Squad Bill

In October, a bill proposing that Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) officers should be allowed to carry guns to perform their duties passed its second reading, with the majority of the lawmakers in the House of Representatives supporting it.

Speaker of the House Abbas Tajudeen, who also inaugurated the constitution review committee, even called it a “straightforward bill” before sending it to the FRSC committee for further review and action. 

This was a questionable move because some FRSC officers have a history of demanding bribes from drivers and assaulting them when they resist.

Young Nigerians were at the receiving end of Police brutality under SARS and still suffer Police brutality even after SARS was scrapped;  if patterns are anything to go by, they are at the greatest risk of being profiled and assaulted by power-drunk officers of the FRSC once they get their guns. To make sure this doesn’t happen, tons of them took to social media to speak out against this bill when the news hit the street, arguing that officers of the FRSC don’t need guns to perform their duties. Still, lawmakers have been really quiet about this kickback from young Nigerians, and like many other things in Nigeria, the future of the bill is still uncertain.

Bill seeking to expand Sharia law

On October 24, Aliyu Misau, a Nigerian lawmaker, proposed a bill that would have given the Sharia  Law more power in the Nigerian constitution. Many Northern lawmakers were on board with the idea despite the fact that Nigeria is a multi-religious country. After some spirited back-and-forth, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu put the bill to a voice vote, and a majority of lawmakers voted against it. But to some Nigerians, the fact that it was even raised was enough reason to be concerned. 

VAT increase bill

October was definitely the month of unpleasant surprises because that was the same month that the National Assembly started considering a bill that would increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) paid by Nigerians from 7.5% to 10%.

If you think 10% doesn’t sound that bad, you’d hate to know that the 10% increase is the first of three VAT increases these lawmakers are discussing. The bill proposes that the 10% will take effect in 2025, while another  12. 5% increase will take effect in 2026 and last until 2029.  This VAT hike (if it happens) will be charged on every taxable item, so you might have to throw your “I’ll buy it in 2025” plans into the trash now. We can still hope for a Christmas miracle because your favourite lawmakers are putting the bill on pause till 2025 to enjoy their oblee plans.

Telecom tax bill

The people around President Tinubu must have forgotten to remind him that he once publicly advocated for poor people’s right to breeffff because we saw the worst of billing in October.

A bill, which has a weird long name (“A Bill for an Act to Repeal Certain Acts on Taxation and Consolidate the Legal Frameworks relating to Taxation and Enact the Nigeria Tax Act to Provide for Taxation of Income, Transactions, and Instruments, and Related Matters,”), hit the National assembly. The bill proposed a 5% increase in the cost of telecom services that over 215 million Nigerians use every day.

This bill didn’t just target telecom services; it was also designed to introduce gaming, gambling, lotteries, and betting taxes. It hasn’t been passed yet but don’t be surprised to see it in the news again after Detty December.

Nigerian lawmakers had us screaming “blood of Jesus” every three market days with these questionable policies. Given that we still don’t know what happened to some of these bills, we’re not sure that the craziness will not extend into 2025.

Shalom (23) is not a stranger to chasing big dreams. At 19, she said goodbye to her parents and moved to Lagos alone. At 23, she’s getting paid to study for free in a prestigious London school. She talks about how other Nigerian students can land the same scholarship in this week’s episode of 1,000 Ways to Japa.

When did you leave Nigeria, and where did you move to?

I’m currently schooling in London. I left Nigeria about three months ago.

How did you end up in London?

I applied for the Chevening scholarship last year and got in. It still surprises me because I could not have imagined that I would get a fully funded scholarship with the potential to change my life in every way.

Why was it such a surprise?

First of all, it’s important to know that Chevening is very competitive. Like a 0.3% chance of landing the scholarship competitive. I couldn’t believe that I’d be among that 0.3%; When you’re young, there’s a chance that you’d want to underestimate yourself— I felt like I hadn’t done enough in the advocacy space, but I applied anyway, and here we are today.

0.3% is crazy! Tell me a bit about life in London

Funny how I made a tweet one time that since I had experienced what it felt like to live in Lagos, I’d love to experience living alone in London next, and that’s what has happened, so this is literally a dream come true for me.

London and Lagos have the same energy, though London can be a bit more fast-paced than Lagos in a way. It shares a lot of similarities with Lagos, actually; both cities are where dreams come true, and they are both super expensive. But Chevening gives me an extra allowance for staying in London.

I moved from Abeokuta to Lagos to chase big dreams, and I’m here in London doing the same thing. Since I moved, I’ve made some African and British friends, and my Nigerian church has a beautiful branch in London. It feels like Lagos, but the Lagos that works.

You mentioned moving from Abeokuta to Lagos to chase big dreams. Tell me more.

Respectfully, I’ve always felt like Abeokuta was too small for my dreams. There are so many old people there, and the young ones look satisfied with life’s basics. You see superstars like Kizz Daniel and Fireboy? They looked too hungry for Abeokuta, so they had to move to Lagos—I was 19 when I moved, I just knew the world was waiting for me.

The only friend I had in Lagos lived in Iyana Ipaja, and the job I got was in Victoria Island. I was spending at least 6 hours in traffic daily, but I was happy. My mom begged me to come back home, but I told her that I wouldn’t leave Lagos until it gave me what I wanted. Now, I can say Lagos owes me nothing—It gave me quality friends, life-changing experiences and a very overpriced apartment that felt like home.

So you manifested the life of your dream? 

I’m a Christian, I pray my dreams into existence. Plus, these are not my dreams; This is God’s way of preparing me for what He wants to do in my life. I’ve seen visions of all these things; they only catch me by surprise when I lose my faith. 

Love that. So back to the Chevening scholarship from before. What is it, and who is it for?

The Chevening scholarship is a fully-funded scholarship offered by the UK Government. Every year, young people from over 160 countries are selected by Chevening to come and study any course, in any UK university of their choice. When you’re done studying, you have to go back to your country and apply what you have learned there for at least two years before you can return to the UK.

You’re not restricted from travelling down to the UK when you have events, engagements, workshops or anything else; they just don’t expect you not to go back to help your country after getting access to world-class education from the UK government.  

That’s crazy. What makes someone a potential Chevening scholar?

The whole point of the Chevening scholarship is that the UK government is trying to bring together young leaders and potential leaders who are trying to drive change in their countries. So, a perfect candidate for Chevening is someone who’s trying to drive change, has leadership skills and is working on innovative ideas, either in the non-profit or corporate sector. The scholarship gives you access to a large alumni network and an opportunity to study in the UK without worrying about money. 

Because your tuition is covered, right?

Oh, it’s not just your tuition. I don’t think I fully appreciated Chevening until I moved here and met many international students who are funding their studies themselves. I would not even advise anyone to go through that stress. If your family is not very wealthy, please don’t leave your life in Nigeria to come down here. Try to get a fully-funded scholarship like Chevening. It makes your life easy.

When you get the Chevening scholarship, your visa is taken care of and they pay for everything—think health charges and even flights. If you want your flight booked down to the city you’re going to, you just have to tell them what city it is, and they’ll book it. Everything is taken care of. Your own is just to board the plane and start your new life. 

They cover your tuition and also give you a stipend for your accommodation and your living expenses. Even after you’ve paid for these things, you’ll still have about £500 left. Your visa also allows you to work 20 hours if you plan to work and study simultaneously. 

The benefits sound dreamy. What?

And there’s more. Because the Chevening scholarship is well recognised, it’s easier to get internship placements and jobs wherever you go as a  Chevening scholar. It just opens many doors that ordinarily will be difficult to assess as an international student. Also, if you’re the kind of person who likes to explore, travel for conferences or experience different cultures,  you can travel with the money you manage to save from your Chevening allowance. But you only get the grace to be away for  30 days during your study in the UK experience. 

What kind of job are you allowed to do?

As a Chevening scholar, you can work in any industry, but scholars should be strategic with their work choices. You’re already getting a world-class education that is completely funded. You don’t want to spend your time trying to work for just money; you want to work for experience, and you want to work with brands that can add value to your portfolio.

How would you advise Nigerians who are interested in the Chevening scholarship to start their application?

Applications for the 2025/2026 session have closed,  The next thing is to note that you don’t apply for Chevening because you want to leave Nigeria. If you are desperate to relocate,  it will show in your essay.

Chevening is about giving back to your community, so figure out what problem pisses you off and why you want to solve it badly.  Once you figure out what you’re passionate about, the next thing is to tell your story.

You can do your research in one day by reading more and watching many videos about Chevening on YouTube. Then tell Chevening what they need to know about the work you’re doing in Nigeria.  Write like you want the person reading your essay to remember your story.

LOL. I’m stealing that line. 

Please, feel free to. The next thing applicants should do is go to YouTube. There are several videos by past scholars explaining what the Chevening scholarship is about. Those videos can help you save time. They also have a breakdown of how to write the essays on the Chevening website. Read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) on the website too. Once you’ve done all of that, pick your course.

Any personal advice on how to pick the perfect course?

Now, if you are like me and your undergraduate degree is different from what you want to study, narrow it down to one field that has the biggest impact on your work.  You don’t want to come off as someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. You get to select three courses, but it helps ensure they are related. Don’t say you want to study public policy in school one and economics in school two. So when you have picked the course, look for schools that offer that course and are eligible to be funded by Chevening. You’ll see a course finder on the Chevening website.

Ah ahn, fancy!

Yeah, they make the application easier. The essays are the most important parts of your application, so you want to ensure they flow. When writing your leadership essay, pick at least three strong leadership experiences that display who you are. I always tell people I work with to start with the problem statement; Do some research in your field, figure out the problem you’re trying to solve and back it up with data to show how much of a serious problem it is.   Pick the best examples of how you’ve tried to solve this problem and show the impact. Please, brag. Your Chevening application isn’t where you should try to be humble. Talk about numbers and your impact. Talk about the projects you’ve worked on or opportunities you’ve been selected for.  

So basically, blow your own trumpet?  

Exactly. For your networking essay, Chevening wants to know that you’re friendly and can leverage unprofessional relationships to create meaningful impact. It’s wiser to pick those three examples of how you created impact in your leadership essay and show how relationship helps you do those things. Remember that the flow of your story is important. You also want to show how you’ll network with members of the Chevening network and use that access to create a bigger impact.

That makes a lot of sense. 

Yeah. Then you can move on to your study plan, where you demonstrate why you want to get your master’s education in the UK.  Chevening wants to know why the UK is the country you’re interested in, that’s why your research should be really heavy. Go down to the website of your three preferred schools.  You don’t need to research the entire school; just focus on your course, faculty, and lecturers, what they are doing and how it aligns with your interest. Look at the course modules in depth and pick one or two courses in the module that are directly related to what you are currently doing and how what you’ll learn will help you do better. Also, feel free to talk about the city your school is in and what you’re looking forward to experiencing there. 

What about the fourth essay?

The fourth and last essay is your career plan essay. Here, you want to show them that you have a strong sense of why you’re getting this degree and what the future of your work looks like. Show your big picture— how your life after Chevening will impact generations, but keep it realistic and well thought out. 

To keep things as realistic as possible, you need to show them what you plan to do when you return to Nigeria. you also need to demonstrate mid-term goals and long-term goals. You can also find out what the UK government is doing in your country related to your field. The UK government has projects they do in Nigeria every year; Build that connection between what they are doing in your field, find an opportunity for collaboration and link it. Also, if your career plan is not related to your study plan, that’s a problem because you’re insinuating that the degree won’t impact your career in any way.

You also need academic and professional reference letters. You can apply without the letter, but you must find two people who can vouch for you and submit their details.

On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you, you know, with your life right now?

I’d say 9.5. I’m happy. I’m getting a master’s degree I could never have afforded on my own and worshipping at my local church.

 Want to to share your japa story? Please reach out to me here. 

The only thing Daniel (27) loves more than Ibadan is his South Sudanese girlfriend. But this love comes with a $10,000 bride price which is making him contemplate elopement. In this Abroad Life episode, Daniel talks about moving out of Nigeria and restarting his life in Australia to beat Nepo Baby allegations.

When did you first decide to move abroad?

I first considered it sometime in 2019, and I left Nigeria in October 2019. I currently live in Queensland, Australia.

Why Australia?

I chose Australia because there weren’t so many Nigerians there. When I checked the population of Nigerians in Australia at the time, they were around 15,000 or 20,000. I saw the figures, and I was like, “Yeah, this is my country.”  

There was no real reason for me to leave Nigeria because I was living a pretty comfortable life; I was the last child of the family, so money came from everywhere. But something just changed in me after a while, and I  told my dad that I  wanted to move to Australia to get a master’s degree. He was so surprised because it wasn’t something I often talked about.

You said you chose Australia because there weren’t many Nigerians there; why was that important to you?

I was just tired of Nigerians. I was craving something new and unfamiliar. I lived in Ibadan before I left Nigeria, and I loved how chill the city was, but I couldn’t shake the urge to chase a new life. I was tired of seeing Nigerian faces everywhere.

LMAO. What faces did you want to see?

It wasn’t really about the faces. The funniest thing is that the friends I’ve made since I moved are still Nigerians. It’s only my girlfriend, who is South Sudanese. 

So what was it about Nigerians living in Nigeria that made you move? 

It was the hustle mentality and the fact that people were so quick to discredit people who have it easier in life. I mentioned that I was very comfortable in Nigeria; People quickly dismissed my hard work because they thought my father’s money was responsible for all my achievements.

It just got tiring to hear people always talk about my father’s money with the intention of discrediting me. It was almost as if people wanted me to struggle for everything in life and got pissed at the fact that I didn’t necessarily have to. Here in Australia, people see my hard work, not my father’s money.

So you left Nigeria to find your own identity?

You can put it that way. I was trying to prove a point to myself and everyone.  The funniest thing is that we didn’t even have the money people thought we had. I went to a private university, and we lived in a nice house, but my monthly allowance in 2019 was ₦5000.

I also got an allowance from my siblings, but it wasn’t like I had a bag of money in my house. I just wanted to prove to people that I could make my own money and do my thing. To be fair, my dad is actually rich, but people are always too quick to assume that a rich father immediately translates to a rich son. My dad is very money-conscious and financially smart, so if it is not a need, he won’t pour his money into it.

You said you wanted to get a master’s degree in Australia. How did that go?

It went well. I finished in 2020. But during my first three months as a student, I wanted to return to Nigeria. I had no job then, so I still had to rely on my dad. He was paying my rent, but to get money for other things, I used to hike the rent fee and keep the extra change. Thankfully, I later got a job at a warehouse but balancing the new job and school was even harder, though things got better the next semester.

What changed?

I got used to how things work in Australia, and I made new friends. It was easier to make Nigerian friends in Australia because people see you as an individual, not your family’s money.

Another thing that made that semester easier was getting a new job. Then COVID-19 happened, and I ended up spending most of my university days indoors. We switched to online learning, and that felt like the best thing after sliced bread.

LOL. How?

I didn’t have to worry about waking up early to catch the bus. I could wake up at 8:50 am. to attend a 9 am class. I also got to save money, so I don’t hate the lockdown at all. The online classes lasted until I finished university.

So what has life looked like since you completed your master’s? 

Life has been great. I’m working in tech now, and that’s one of the things that I’ve always wanted to do. I have a girlfriend now, and she’s the love of my life. I also have great friends around me, but I’m not going to lie; sometimes I miss Nigeria. I don’t miss the people, but I miss Ibadan. One of my favourite things is watching YouTube videos of okada men riding their motorcycles around Ibadan. I miss my city so much; It’s obvious that they call me Mr Ibadan in my church here. 

Have you visited Ibadan since you left?

Nope. But I talk to my family on WhatsApp. If I miss my family, I can always pick up the phone and talk to them. For now, I have no real reason to visit Nigeria–My whole life is here but when I get married,  I want to go to Obudu cattle ranch for my honeymoon. I might even end up going to Ibadan.

Honeymoon in Ibadan? Please don’t kill me.

I’m being so serious. Ibadan is the best place in Nigeria.

What makes Ibadan so special to you?

The rustic view of the city and the sound of Okada—you can’t find that anywhere else. The serenity and peace you’ll find in the city is also unmatched. I’m a proud ambassador of Ibadan.

I’m screaming. Let’s talk about the South Sudanese woman who’s dating an Ibadan ambassador. How did that happen?

We met on Instagram. Around December 2021, I posted something about how I would be one of the people wearing matching PJs the following year, and she commented, “lol,” but we didn’t start exchanging DMs until February 2022, when she posted something about men mistreating good women and me as the defender of my gender, I  decided to do an explainer in her DM. That’s how we started talking, and we’ve been dating for over two years now.

Have you managed to change her mind about men?

Yes o. I’ve been representing Nigerian men well. If you ask her, she’d say the same thing. 

Is this your first non-Nigerian relationship?

I would say this is my first serious relationship in Australia. The other ones were just vibes.

What does “vibes” mean?

We were just lying to each other and passing time with mutual consent.  But this is serious; we know where it’s ending. 

Love that. What’s the most interesting thing about being in a non-Nigerian relationship?

I moved to Australia as an adult, but she’s been here since she was eight. The difference in how we were raised is quite obvious, so we’ve had to compromise on some things. For example, if I say something in pidgin or Yoruba, I have to explain what I’m saying to her. I’ve also had to adjust to her culture–One of the most interesting parts about her culture is the bride price. 

How so?

If she were getting married in South Sudan, I’d have had to buy about 80 cows. But since we’re in Australia, I would have to pay between $10,000 and $30,000. It depends on how much the bride has achieved in life. If she has a master’s degree, you’ll be asked to pay more.

Are you allowed to bargain?

Oh, you can bargain but they say if you value their daughter, you won’t try to lower the price. 

You seem to have accepted your fate.

Let’s just thank God for life. When that day comes, whatever I have, I’ll pay. As long as my girlfriend is happy, everybody else will be okay. The funniest part is that she won’t even get one dime from this bride price.

Have you started saving, or are you waiting till you propose?

I’m not saving. I will pay whatever I have. If they don’t give me my bride, we will elope together.

Ah!

Yes, please. When my sister got married, her bride price was ₦1,500.

It is well. Has she met your parents?

She has spoken to my mom, but I don’t want my dad to know now. I’m currently 27, but my dad still believes that I’m not old enough to have a girlfriend. Everybody else in my family knows her. I know he’s going to be shocked that I’m not marrying a Nigerian, but my mom has accepted her. 

How do you think your dad will react when he finds out that she’s South Sudanese?

He’ll probably want to know what happened to all the Nigerians in Australia. Whenever my friends are getting married, my dad always asks if their partners are Nigerians. He already knows that I’m a bit of a rebel, so he has no choice but to accept her.

I’m rooting for you guys

Thank you. I’ll send the GoFundMe link when it’s time.

For what?

To contribute towards the brideprice.

I’ll be praying for you. What’s your favourite thing about living in Australia?

If you’re not lazy, you’ll live a decent life. But my girlfriend is Australia’s best gift to me. 

Are you aware that this isn’t Love Life?

You should probably feature us on Love Life. But since this is Abroad Life, I’ll say my favourite things about Australia are the friends and community I have here.

So how did you find your community?

My best friend is a Nigerian, whom I met in university. The other friends I’ve made are from church—you’ll find lots of Nigerians in my church. My three closest friends are from university, and others are from church.

You can’t run away from Nigerians, I guess.

You really can’t.

Is there any plan to move back to Nigeria in the future?

Oh, 100%. I’m going to move back to Ibadan and become the chairman of one LGA. The long-term plan is to shuffle between Ibadan and Australia.

But is your girlfriend aware that you have plans to go back to Ibadan?

She’ll be shocked when I tell her, but I don’t want to tell her yet. She knows how much I love Ibadan. She even made me a hoodie with an Ibadan-inspired design.

Jesus, this is serious!

It is o. She’s actually open to relocating to Nigeria. From the conversations we’ve had, I’m pretty sure she’s open to it.  She has told me that she’s getting tired of living in Australia because she’s been here her whole life.

Love that for you. On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you with your abroad life?

7.5. I have a good life, an amazing girlfriend, good friends and YouTube videos of Ibadan. It’s only going to get better from here.

Do you want to share your Abroad Life story? Please reach out to me here. For new episodes of Abroad Life, check in every Friday at 12 PM (WAT). 

Jimi (24) started guiding his relocation plans the moment his visa was approved. From failing to say goodbye to friends to reducing his movement because of “village people,” he didn’t take any chances. He shares how he’s gotten questions about his sexuality from a relative since he moved to the UK and how he plans to stay in the country permanently.

Where do you live and when did you leave Nigeria?

So I live in Cardiff, Wales, and I moved out of Nigeria in  2023.

Was there a particular reason why you wanted to japa?

Relocation has always been in the plan for me. My parents have always had it in mind that I’d move for my master’s after NYSC. I found out some years back that they  had been saving up for it since I was young. It was a huge sacrifice, and I’m really grateful for that. 

So was relocation something you wanted or was it a decision influenced by your parents?

I’ve always been indifferent about relocation, but I wouldn’t say my parents made that decision for me–I wanted to be in a place where I’d be able to succeed without feeling like the system was working against me, so when the opportunity came, I was like, “Why not?” Plus, it wasn’t like my life in Nigeria was anything spectacular. It was regular– I worked in an advertising agency and went out with friends from work every Friday. That pretty much sums up everything I was up to in Nigeria.

 Let’s talk about the UK. How did that happen?

I left Nigeria through a student visa. So unlike several other people who moved through this route, I only applied to one school. I think one of the reasons why I chose that school was because I had a friend there and he was happy to hold my hands through the admission process. That’s very important because you need someone knowledgeable about admission-related stuff to walk you through the process. That’s how I got the admission and my visa.

When my visa got approved, my parents kinda sat me down and told me that I was no longer allowed to leave the house until it was time to leave the UK.

Why?

You know African parents and how they believe in village people. It was a struggle because even the few times that I tried to visit some friends, my dad would call me and ask for all the details.

My mom didn’t care as much, but I still had to sit at home. I don’t know if it was because my dad was projecting his fears, but I became extra careful myself. For instance, if I were on a bus, I’d pray for God to help me back in one piece. I didn’t want my parent’s fears to come true.

Did you get to say goodbye to your friends?

I said a few goodbyes, but you’d probably meet people who would tell you that I forgot to tell them about my relocation.

I left Nigeria without telling some people and that’s mostly because my parents were serious about me not sharing the news that they didn’t even tell some family members I was relocating until much later.

I didn’t see the need to drag it with them because they are my sponsors. When some people found out that I had relocated, they were upset;I’ve done my part by apologising, but I can’t exactly tell people how to react to my apology. Some have accepted the apology, others are still upset.

You seem to really hold your parents in high regard. 

As I mentioned earlier, they were my sponsors. It wasn’t exactly like I had any choice. But now that I’m figuring out my life in the UK, I can confidently make bold decisions and stand by them.

Before my graduation in November, I locked my hair and pierced my ears. It was a spontaneous decision, but it’s something I’ve kinda always wanted to do. My parents were sort of disappointed when they saw me at my graduation–My dad even asked me to wear my graduation cap in all the pictures we were taking together because he didn’t want his friends in Nigeria to see my dreads.

My dad’s reaction wasn’t even the worst – a relative saw my new look and told my parents I was gay. I couldn’t even understand how he arrived at that conclusion, but I told my parents that they were stuck with the new look either way. I think they calmed down the next day after they watched me get baptised. 

That’s interesting. Can you tell me more about that event?

I’ve always been a Christian, but I wasn’t born-again. Contrary to what my new look suggested, my relationship with God got better after I  moved to the UK. The baptism was the day after my graduation, and I really wanted my parents to be there. They showed up and were proud of me. We haven’t really talked about the new look since then.

Love that. I know you mentioned that your parents are your primary sponsors but did you explore other funding options?

The school gave me a reasonable discount, but most of my funding came from my parents. Shout out to them for real because the exchange rate was already all over the place when they cleared my tuition. 

Seeing how much they sacrificed to pull that off made me double up on studying. For the longest time, they were not doing what other people their age were doing. For instance, my dad delayed his plan of getting a nicer car for a while, and my mom made several sacrifices too.

Shoutout to your parents for real

The craziest part is that I can’t even say my parents were rich or had millions to spare. They were just financially responsible and cared about giving my siblings and me a soft landing. Being here without a scholarship or alternative funding would have been a nightmare without their help.

Earlier, you mentioned that you only applied to one university. What made you so confident that you were going to get in?

I did a lot of research before I chose that university. And as I mentioned earlier, I had a friend in the school who guided me through the application process. 

Success can be replicated, so I always advise people to seek guidance from people who have gone through the same process. It also helped that I had faith and was confident that God was involved.

Remember how I said my parents didn’t tell some family members about my relocation until much later? My uncle was one of those relatives. One day, they called and decided to inform him that I was moving to the UK since he was there too. I wasn’t close to the uncle in question, but the craziest thing happened; It turns out the uncle was living very close to the school, so he offered to take me in. In my head, I was just like “What are the odds?” I just felt like that was God helping me out. I got a super soft landing – I didn’t have to worry about food or shelter. 

Love that for you. What’s your advice for people who are planning to apply to graduate schools in the UK?

It might sound cliche, but your personal statement is super important. You should know how to tell your story better than anyone else. Another advice is to always ask questions. Keep sending emails to the school like you’re sending WhatsApp messages. You’re better off asking too many questions than making mistakes because you didn’t ask at all. You should also be intentional about your research because there are many schools that offer discounted school fees for first-class or second-class upper students. 

Are you planning to stay in the UK?

Of course, I’m applying for a postgraduate work visa. My student visa is going to expire next month so I’m getting ready to apply for the other one. It’s almost 3000 pounds now. 

I always advise new graduate students who plan to stay in the UK to start saving for this visa early. Aside from the money, you must also meet some criteria, such as having good grades and working for a maximum of 20 hours weekly. Some people don’t play by the 20-hour weekly rule, but I like to respect myself.  

The application process is quite easy. You can complete the whole thing on your phone in 30 minutes. Your chances of getting the visa are also really high.

I hope it works out. Can you share what life in Cardiff looks like?

Cardiff is small. You can walk to almost every place you need to be.  I’ve had time to fall in love with the city but it was rough at the beginning. I was the only black guy in my class when I was doing my master’s. I had to start hanging out with friends from other races. There was one time my white friends asked me to come to a party with them, and I thought it was a good opportunity to socialise until I realised what kind of party it was.

What kind of party?

It was a techno party—just noise and headaches. I really blamed myself for going in the first place. After that incident, I found a Christian community, and everything became better. I’ve made friends with Nigerians and other nationalities since then.

So no more techno parties?

God forbid!

LMAO. On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you with your life in the UK?

I’ll say 8.5. Things are getting better. I can now afford to satisfy my cravings and tick stuff off my bucket list.

 Want to to share your japa story? Please reach out to me here. 

Kaima (26) turned down advances from a creepy boss who made her life difficult and moved to the UK alone. In this week’s Abroad Life, she talks about how living in the UK has changed her approach towards religion and how she’s been navigating marriage in a new country.

When did you leave Nigeria, and where do you live now?

I left Nigeria in 2021 through the study route. I live in the UK now. 

Is there any particular reason why you left the country?

At that point in my life, I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with my life in Nigeria. It felt like I was stuck following the same old pattern everybody followed–complete your NYSC, start looking for a job and pray that life gets better from there.

I also didn’t want to find myself in a position where I would finish my NYSC and start hoping that my Primary Place of Assignment (PPA) would retain me. The PPA in question had started to feel like a nightmare at the time too. I was working with one egoistical and creepy boss.  I just didn’t want to find myself in a position where I wouldn’t have any other option than to be at his mercy or the mercy of the job market so I decided I would explore and leave the country.

Plus, I really wanted to be independent because, at that point in time I was living with my auntie, and the living situation wasn’t the best. I guess I wanted to feel like a proper adult if that makes sense.

Do you mind telling me more about your boss?

He used to make weird advances at me. He would always ask me out or try to get me to go on dates with me, and it just felt a little inappropriate. 

The job had a weird arrangement, too– It wasn’t letting me put any of the skills I had to use. Plus, he had this weird ego trip that didn’t help matters either–. He used to send me on errands that had nothing to do with why I was working there. There were times when he sent me to go and buy stuff or put on the generator, and soon, It went from errands to petty rules that made no sense.

He wasn’t always in the office, so he made it compulsory to call him when I got to the office and before I left the office. Then he would say things like, “You’re no longer allowed to take any excuse.” I remember one time I went out for lunch, and when I say that I went out for lunch, I mean that I literally just went to buy food at the end of the street. He got to the office and found out that I had stepped out, and he started yelling. It was past 3 pm, and I hadn’t eaten all day, so I didn’t get where the outrage was coming from. He just kept yelling and talking about how I wanted him to show me his ugly side. That kind of behaviour among employers has become normalised in Nigeria, and I just couldn’t deal.

Apart from my boss’s misbehaviour, there was also the NYSC side of things, in the sense that everything just seemed like a power trip. Even something as simple as monthly clearance becomes a nightmare. You can show up at your local government with the hope of thumbprinting and end up not being able to do so because your local government instructor isn’t in a good mood or got mad because of some petty reason.

The decision to leave Nigeria was the result of all those experiences combined with my dissatisfaction with my work and personal life. 

So is life different in the UK?

Yes, completely different. For instance, your work relationship with your boss is healthier. Don’t get me wrong, I know there are a lot of good bosses and healthy workplaces in Nigeria, but here, things are more professional. You’re not at the mercy of your boss, and they treat you like a normal human being. 

That’s good to know. You mentioned that you left Nigeria as a student; how’s that going?

I’m done now. I graduated in 2022.

Congratulations. How has life been since then?

It’s been amazing.  I’ve figured out what I wanted to do and the field I wanted to go into. I’ve also been able to find all of the resources and all of the help I need to advance in my career at the tip of my fingers.

My life is much more interesting, and I feel at ease. Back home, when I was always stressed or worrying about one thing or the other, it reflected in the way I approached religion.  Now that I’m in the UK, how I  pray has changed. I’m no longer praying for the basic things of life. 

Can you tell me more about that?

Back in Nigeria, I was praying for things that nobody should have to pray for. On days I have to go for my monthly clearance, I’ll say, “God, please let my LGI thumbprint for me today without stressing me”. When I’m stepping out of my house, I’ll say, “God, please, don’t let me get into any accident; may evil not be my portion.” 

I’m not saying that being in the UK automatically means you’re safe from accidents, but I don’t really see the need to pray that way anymore. I also used to pray for money in Nigeria. Sometimes, I even prayed to God about wanting someone to send me as low as ₦10,000. Those were valid needs, but they haven’t featured in my prayer since I moved to the UK three years ago. This place just has a way of making life easier for you.

I’m curious though, how did your parents feel about you making that mature decision to leave everything you knew in Nigeria to move to the UK?

I was very intentional about moving to the UK alone. My family took the news well, and they supported me. My dad has never been a fan of japa, but he understood that it was a decision I was making for myself, and he supported me. Even some aunties and uncles supported me financially. The decision was also easier to make because my boyfriend at the time, who is now my husband, was in the UK.  He was very supportive too. I had a lot of support so that made moving alone less scary. But I would say that the first year after moving was not easy.

How so?

I was still paying off my school fees so there was a bit of financial stress. I was also in an entirely new country, and I didn’t know how many things worked. I didn’t have any friends, and I was an introvert.

 Back in Nigeria, I struggled to make friends, too, so I just used to wait until I met one nice extrovert to take me under their wings, but that was harder to find in the UK.  It also didn’t help that I was the only Nigerian in my class. I was actually the only black person in my class, so I felt like I was on my own.

At some point, I stopped focusing on not having friends and started channelling that energy into getting a job because I still had school fees to pay. Being a student, I was only allowed to work part-time but the job offers I was getting were full-time offers. They didn’t want to hire anybody part-time, so I found myself working in a retail store. As somebody who had never done a menial job,  I struggled.

I had to do a lot of heavy lifting, and I just couldn’t deal.  I remember my first night at the job, I actually started crying because I was not used to it. Everything just felt so heavy, but after a while, I got used to the whole thing so that became less of a problem.

But the fact that I didn’t have friends or my family around still made things hard for me. I became very depressed because of that, actually. The depression got worse during my first winter in the UK. The cold had a way of making me feel alienated from everything I had ever known but I think after the first year, especially after I graduated, I started enjoying my stay here in the UK.

What changed after graduation? 

After graduation, I started volunteering for proper jobs. I was also relieved of the stress of writing my thesis and doing menial jobs. So after graduation, I had more time to focus on getting a full-time job and learning to enjoy my own company. I also had more time to actively step outside of my shell and start making friends.

You mentioned that you got married. How did that happen?

I’ll have to give you a backstory.  He was actually the one that encouraged me to do my Masters outside the country. I’ve always wanted to study abroad, but I didn’t know how. I’m not from a rich family, and I wasn’t financially stable either, but he asked,  “Why don’t you just get your international passport?” So I did that, and then he was like, “Why not just write your English proficiency test?” I did that too. Later, he said, “Maybe you should start applying to schools” Then I decided to try; the entire application or relocation process was just me trying my luck.

 Before I knew it, I was already in the UK. He was also very financially supportive throughout the move. Then I moved here, and we continued dating, but we lived in different cities. After I graduated, we  moved in together and got married, 

Congratulations. I’m guessing that’s one of the good things that happened after graduation.

Yeah, it is. For the entire duration of the study,  he was my only friend. It was helpful to have someone because, on days when I was just overwhelmed, he was there to help me get back on track. 

Let’s talk a little bit more about married life. How’s that going?

 It’s been really good. One thing I’ve always wanted is to marry a Nigerian.  I don’t quite like change, so I love that my husband has a solid idea of who I am and where I’m from. I don’t want to spend all day at work speaking through my nose for my British colleagues to understand me and still not be able to speak freely with my husband. It’s also important for both of us to maintain our Nigerian roots. 

We’ve been talking about having children, and we want to make sure that they know who they are so they don’t end up having an identity crisis. We’re not parents yet, but I think it will be tricky trying to strike that balance between life in the UK, which is primarily what the children will know, and our Nigerian roots.

Now that you’re starting a family in the UK, is there any plan to move back to Nigeria in the future?

No, we are not considering that. Even before I got married, I knew I wanted to stay in the UK. That’s why I was intentional about getting a job before my student visa expired. 

Is there anything about the UK that still shocks you sometimes?

There are things that still surprise me about living here. People can be very nice, but they can also be passive-aggressive. In Nigeria, I’m used to people being straightforward, but here, sometimes, if someone is being passive, it might be for you to understand that they just don’t like you. Nigerians are more open and bold with their emotions.

But I’ve noticed good things too. For example, everybody opens the door for you. It’s those small social cues. I had to pick up too, when I moved. Even if someone is 100 meters away, you’re kind of expected to hold the door open for them.  It took a while for me to get the idea, but I’m getting used to it.

I think the hardest part is just having an identity crisis. . I miss being in Nigeria, where everybody around me is Nigerian. I never had to code switch, all of that.  I guess that’s why the friends I made in the UK are Nigerians.

I’ve travelled home a few times in the past couple of years; it just feels relaxing. I can relax and just be myself but in the UK, I always have to switch my accent when I go to work or anywhere else. When I get home after a long day of speaking like I foreigner, I always  feel the joy of removing a nonexistent wig

I’m glad you have friends now. How did you end up meeting them?

My friends are mostly spouses of my husband’s friends. I met them, and then I was introduced to some other people. I also met some friends in church.

I have friends in Nigeria, too, but distance has been a barrier.

How happy are living abroad on a scale of one to ten?

I would say 9.5 because I  miss my family.  But I love my life in the UK.

Do you want to share your Abroad Life story? Please reach out to me here. For new episodes of Abroad Life, check in every Friday at 12 PM (WAT). 

For extra context,  this isn’t one of those modest estates with a few okay-looking flats scattered here and there. This is a prime estate carefully built across 150,000 square meters of luxury.  

For years, the luxurious buildings have left people in Abuja questioning who’s behind such a display of wealth. We’re still not sure what the answer to that question is because the EFCC is keeping that information to itself, revealing only that it belongs to a former high-ranking government official who allegedly funded this lifestyle with public money.

We won’t be talking about the government official everybody and their mom is pointing fingers at, but you can take at least 300 guesses in a country like Nigeria.

A property expert who spoke to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) valued the estate at tens of millions of dollars which sounds about right for 750 luxury houses built with public funds. That left us with a very important question – what existing problems could the money spent on the seized 753 properties have been poured into solving?

Put an end to ASUU  strikes

Academic strikes have become normalised in Nigeria and it’s majorly because the government just can’t seem to cough up enough money to pay lecturers’ salaries or fund universities. 

In 2013, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) demanded  ₦1.3 trillion to fix everything that’s wrong with tertiary education in Nigeria, but the Goodluck Jonathan administration agreed to give the union  ₦200 billion yearly because the country couldn’t afford to disburse ₦1.3 trillion at once. According to ASUU chairman, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, that  ₦200 billion was only paid once, and it’s been crickets since then.

The least amount of money the estate is estimated to be is $1 million, and that’s enough to stop the frequent ASUU strikes.

Better salaries for doctors in rural areas

The doctor-to-patient ratio in Nigeria is now 1000% below the World Health Organisation’s recommendation. This is mainly because doctors have been relocating to countries that offer better financial benefits to health workers. In Kano, Nigeria’s most populous state, 1,300 doctors are responsible for the healthcare of 15 million people. Meanwhile, in Adamawa, a single doctor treats 13,000 people. The effect of this japa wave is even worse in rural areas.

In October 2024, doctors (especially those in rural areas) asked the federal government to review their salaries. Before that, the last time that demand reached FG’s ears was in 2013 when it approved a salary review for medical practitioners under the Harmonised/Consolidated Health and Medical Salary Structures but local reports confirm that it never took effect because Nigeria is allegedly broke.

The seized estate, worth millions of dollars, could have been used to improve the salaries of Nigerian doctors working in rural areas.

Job creation for young Nigerians

70% of Nigeria’s total population is made up of young people. But about 53% of those young people (about 80 million youths) are unemployed. 

The private sector has been one of the biggest employers of youths for years. But even that sector is starting to suffer from the economic mess Nigeria has drowned deeper into in 2024.  A recent report by Stanbic IBTC Bank Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI®) shows that the employment rate in Nigeria’s private sector has declined for the first time in seven months. For context, this sector has consistently created jobs for the last six months, but it can’t afford to do that anymore because the economy is getting worse, along with the purchasing power of Nigerians.

With the minimum wage being ₦70,000, even $1 million  is enough to pay the salaries of about 1,900 youths for at least one year. I’m not saying the total value of the seized estate will be enough to solve Nigeria’s unemployment problem, but it can go a long way in reducing the unemployment rate significantly. 

Fix UNILAG’s accommodation issue

In an ideal world, students shouldn’t have to hustle for hostel spaces, but that’s the reality of many students at the University of Lagos. Despite having about 40,000 students, the university only has 8,000 accommodation spaces due to the growing population and limited infrastructure. Off-campus housing options range between ₦250,000 to ₦800,000 in extreme cases. You can do the math, but the value of the seized estate is enough to fix UNILAG’s accommodation issue. 

Reduce the number of out-of-school kids

10.5 million children in Nigeria barely even recognise what the four walls of a classroom look like. In Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states alone, two million children have no access to education, and less than 30% of schools are able to meet basic teacher qualification standards, making the kids from these states automatically disadvantaged in life. The Nigerian government currently spends only 6.39% of the 2024 budget on education (because Nigeria is allegedly broke). 

We can go on and on about the other problems the Nigerian government has consistently put on the back burner with their usual “there’s no money” excuse, but that would be stating the obvious.

This estate seizure is just another reminder of how much public money has gone into the pockets of a few government officials while the masses suffer.