Ugosample: Who are you telling this cock and bull story? So the people in Nigeria arent enough to develop Nigeria? America is not heaven, you work for everything you get which is good because a country is built with hardwork, not llaziness like many youths in Nigeria exhibit. Life is all about choices, if you appreciate hard work, them amerrica is the right place for you, but if you appreciate mediocrity, connections, etc, then Nigeria is a perfect place for you!

Ofonagoro :
Nigerians often thin the ANYWHERE is better than Nigeria and that the ideal place to be is America. Nigerians you have thought WRONG
1. There aren't any jobs
2. It's not a land of Money on the streets
3. You have to work at least 58 hrs/wk to afford a decent living
4. Racism is a major issue
5. America is not the best country in the world
6. People are suffering. some people don't even see a meal to eat. People are becoming poorer taxes are getting higher job openings are getting smaller its not the ideal place to be [size=24pt]nothing is FREE everything has a catch especially in the U.S.[/size] Nigerians need to stop patronizing countries they dont belong to and need to stay in Nigeria and make a change and [size=20pt]stop being negative.[/size]

Ugosample: Who are you telling this cock and bull story? So the people in Nigeria arent enough to develop Nigeria? America is not heaven, you work for everything you get which is good because a country is built with hardwork, not llaziness like many youths in Nigeria exhibit. Life is all about choices, if you appreciate hard work, them amerrica is the right place for you, but if you appreciate mediocrity, connections, etc, then Nigeria is a perfect place for you!

tosrich:



Bro, I live in America and most of the things you wrote are not the case in the state I live.... let me start with food, In the state I am, food is the cheapest thing you can ever think of and it does'nt cost much get your house filled up with food stuffs and other groceries.

The issue of racism is not an excuse, a lot of Nigerian here are making it big and doing white colar job in multi-national companies.

America is a land of opportunity where you can be what you wanna be without any limitation.
That you have to work for 58hrs per week before you can have a three square meal is a far from the truth...

pls. do your homework well before you post unverifiable information...

Ofonagoro :


I'm coming back next July when my house in Abuja will be done.

pappilo: it is a fact that Nigeria will never provide the same standard of living/ opportunities for its citizens as obtained in countries like the US.

Ofonagoro :
Nigerians often thin think thethat ANYWHERE is better than Nigeria and that the ideal place to be is America. Nigerians you have thought WRONG
1. There aren't any jobs
2. It's not a land of Money on the streets
3. You have to work at least 58 hrs/wk to afford a decent living
4. Racism is a major issue
5. America is not the best country in the world
6. People are suffering. some people don't even see acannot afford a decent meal to eat. People are becoming poorer(insert comma) taxes are getting higher(insert comma again) job openings are less than what they used to be getting smaller (insert comma for heaven's sake)its not the ideal place to be(what happened to full stop please? ) [size=24pt](Always start very sentence with capital letters please )nothing is FREE everything has a catch especially in the U.S.[/size] Nigerians need to stop patronizing countries they dont belong to(belong to where? expantiate) and need to stay in Nigeria and make a change and [size=20pt]stop being negative.[/size]

caseless: thank u for this wonderful question. You see, nigerians are naturally patriotic and generous towards nigeria, if not for the distortion caused to that aspect of our lives by poor leadership we've suffered from over the year.what nigerians need is not much; give them constant power supply,good roads and water...and u'd shocked at the kind of return u will see them giving back to this country. Nigerians are modest, thankful,easy to guide, happy, religious, patriotic,enterpreneur,hustlers,brilliant ,etc,

I think this is all u need in a population of a country to get the best frm them...but poor leadership have prevented us from taking advantage of these attributes u find among nigerians.so, we can move forward when we get our leadership right.

femliany: Atleast America is better than Nigeria where Oligarchy is taken to mean Democracy

dasparrow:

This is the problem I have with many Nigerians abroad. Just because things are cheap in your city and you are doing well does not mean it is the same all over America and with everyone. I have lived in America for over 13 years, went to college here and everything. America used to be good back in the late nineties but everything has changed now. There are indeed no jobs for the most part except maybe in the medical field. Most jobs - especially manufacturing, IT and customer service - are being shipped abroad to China, Malaysia, Philippines and the likes.

So my point is, things are hard in America now. Even those born and bred in America are finding it difficult to find a decent paying job much less someone who came directly from Nigeria with a thick Nigerian accent, an African name which most Americans are often times unwilling to try to pronounce and so on. As a christian, I believe in telling Nigerians in Nigeria the truth so that if they do choose to come to the USA, they will have realistic expectations.

Many Nigerians in America don't want to tell the truth because they want to come back to Nigeria and boast. What most Nigerians in Nigeria don't know is that many residents in America are neck deep in debt. Their mates in Nigeria are building their homes in Nigeria and elsewhere with raw cash while those with homes in America for the most part are drowning in mortgage debt. If they cannot keep up with their monthly mortgage payments, the house goes into foreclosure irrespective of how much one has already paid towards the house.

All that glitters is indeed not gold.

Stella_Bella: [xavtquote author=Ofonagoro ]







Well, you cannot look like MIKE TYSON and expect to work at a bank or daycare.
Dude, you should know that your self impression should reflect your job.

I still believe racism in America has got nothing to do with job hunting. Try UAE.
DUBAI to be exact. Your NATIONALITY determines EVERYTHING.
Like I said before, NIGERIAN WILL GET THERE.

dasparrow:

This is the problem I have with many Nigerians abroad. Just because things are cheap in your city and you are doing well does not mean it is the same all over America and with everyone. I have lived in America for over 13 years, went to college here and everything. America used to be good back in the late nineties but everything has changed now. There are indeed no jobs for the most part except maybe in the medical field. Most jobs - especially manufacturing, IT and customer service - are being shipped abroad to China, Malaysia, Philippines and the likes.

I know of a white American guy who came boasting to us that he has finally secured a good IT job in Canada after years of not finding a job in his home country of USA. He spoke negatively about his country the same way many Nigerians speak negatively about Nigeria and he was so glad that he was moving to Canada. A friend of mine lives in New York, an accountant by profession. She quit her job so that she can have her son and take care of him. Till now - over a year later - she has not found a job. She has credit card debts up to her neck. Her husband has a good job but yet the bills (mortgage payment, credit card payment, electricity, water, car payment etc) is eating deep into her husband's monthly income.

Some people indeed do have to work more than 40 hours a week because the money they are making from one job is not enough to cover the bills. I know of a Nigerian male in California - Los Angeles to be precise - who committed suicide right there in L.A He has been living in America since the mid eighties. He had a liquor store that was doing very well in the past but sales plummeted when the economic recession began. Then he had to close shop. He has not been able to visit Nigeria in years. However, his mom died and he could not afford a dime to send to Nigeria for the burial. That was how he took his life.

So my point is, things are hard in America now. Even those born and bred in America are finding it difficult to find a decent paying job much less someone who came directly from Nigeria with a thick Nigerian accent, an African name which most Americans are often times unwilling to try to pronounce and so on. As a christian, I believe in telling Nigerians in Nigeria the truth so that if they do choose to come to the USA, they will have realistic expectations.

Many Nigerians in America don't want to tell the truth because they want to come back to Nigeria and boast. What most Nigerians in Nigeria don't know is that many residents in America are neck deep in debt. Their mates in Nigeria are building their homes in Nigeria and elsewhere with raw cash while those with homes in America for the most part are drowning in mortgage debt. If they cannot keep up with their monthly mortgage payments, the house goes into foreclosure irrespective of how much one has already paid towards the house.

All that glitters is indeed not gold.

dadicvila: As long as they have steady electricity,Good roads,armed robbers dont knock on their doors every night,boko haram dont bomb them every sunday in their churches,they have good schools and anybody who works will be paid and not fed cock and bull stories like in Naija then its better than Naija....OP forget this your story,if America is as bad as you paint it people wunt be waiting and begging for years for their Visas,20yr old Nigerian men wunt be getting married to American women old enough to be their grandmothers....

dasparrow:

This is the problem I have with many Nigerians abroad. Just because things are cheap in your city and you are doing well does not mean it is the same all over America and with everyone. I have lived in America for over 13 years, went to college here and everything. America used to be good back in the late nineties but everything has changed now. There are indeed no jobs for the most part except maybe in the medical field. Most jobs - especially manufacturing, IT and customer service - are being shipped abroad to China, Malaysia, Philippines and the likes.

I know of a white American guy who came boasting to us that he has finally secured a good IT job in Canada after years of not finding a job in his home country of USA. He spoke negatively about his country the same way many Nigerians speak negatively about Nigeria and he was so glad that he was moving to Canada. A friend of mine lives in New York, an accountant by profession. She quit her job so that she can have her son and take care of him. Till now - over a year later - she has not found a job. She has credit card debts up to her neck. Her husband has a good job but yet the bills (mortgage payment, credit card payment, electricity, water, car payment etc) is eating deep into her husband's monthly income.

[b]Some people indeed do have to work more than 40 hours a week because the money they are making from one job is not enough to cover the bills. [/b]I know of a Nigerian male in California - Los Angeles to be precise - who committed suicide right there in L.A He has been living in America since the mid eighties. He had a liquor store that was doing very well in the past but sales plummeted when the economic recession began. Then he had to close shop. He has not been able to visit Nigeria in years. However, his mom died and he could not afford a dime to send to Nigeria for the burial. That was how he took his life.

So my point is, things are hard in America now. Even those born and bred in America are finding it difficult to find a decent paying job much less someone who came directly from Nigeria with a thick Nigerian accent, an African name which most Americans are often times unwilling to try to pronounce and so on. As a christian, I believe in telling Nigerians in Nigeria the truth so that if they do choose to come to the USA, they will have realistic expectations.

Many Nigerians in America don't want to tell the truth because they want to come back to Nigeria and boast. What most Nigerians in Nigeria don't know is that many residents in America are neck deep in debt. Their mates in Nigeria are building their homes in Nigeria and elsewhere with raw cash while those with homes in America for the most part are drowning in mortgage debt. If they cannot keep up with their monthly mortgage payments, the house goes into foreclosure irrespective of how much one has already paid towards the house.

All that glitters is indeed not gold.

saxywale:


Haha...it seems you have tried starting up ventures. The amount of bottlenecks created by ministry workers is enough to hate the country. They most times demand for bribe that is times 5 of the original cost of approval of license to operate. But we can only blame ourselves, since some of these officials are our family and friends. There is so much corruption right from the presidency to the LGA's. Nigerians are not lazy abroad. They work harder than nationals of their host country and they are rewarded well.

anonimi:

Your post is PATHETIC to say the least but it shows why we are so backward as a group/society/country.
In short what you are saying is that it is easy for any half-baked Hassan, Nnamdi or Tunde to rule us rough shod once he has a little courage and can bury his concsience very deep. Have you heard that Nigeria is the best places to become rich quick and easily



The above must be a joke, right
The leadership is not drawn from Nigerians as in they are imported?
They are not voted for by Nigerians?
They are not family members of Nigerians, former school-mates of other Nigerians, church/mosque/shrine goers with other Nigerians ?

Continue shifting the blame on some leaders that you think are remote. Hope you know that the LG Councillor in your area is also a leader just as the State House of Assembly member representing your constituency. . . assuming you know them!

dadicvila: As long as they have steady electricity,Good roads,armed robbers dont knock on their doors every night,boko haram dont bomb them every sunday in their churches,they have good schools and anybody who works will be paid and not fed cock and bull stories like in Naija then its better than Naija....OP forget this your story,if America is as bad as you paint it people wunt be waiting and begging for years for their Visas,20yr old Nigerian men wunt be getting married to American women old enough to be their grandmothers....

axponline: I have read this type of thread many times in the past without commenting. Here are the points to note

Many Nigerians come to the US after between the ages of 25-35 and some even in thier 40's. For these folks, its like life is starting all over again.
America is about careful planning. The system is built on careful planning and the concept of you get what you have earned. I used to work in Nigeria in a bank where you would get your housing allowance in Jan as a lump sum. You can never get that kind of cash in the US unless
a) you borrow
b) you steal
c) win the lottery

Carefully plan each dollar making sure you save at least 20cents on each dollar and when the hard time comes (and they will come) you have a fall back position.
If you anticipate a major expense coming up, plan for it. (i.e save)
I appreciate the fact the America has gotten harder in the past few years. The jobs available are often high skill jobs in IT and health care etc. The usual low skill service jobs that many of our folks get stuck with are getting few abd far between. The idea is to continually improve your self and the jobs will look for you.
I can readily testify to that. By the grace of God, I have a job where I work from home. I dont leave my house unless I want to. I get paid more than a US senator. I have excellent health care benefits paid for by my employer. I have plentiful savings. My wife has never worked for 1 day since we came to the US. I once started a business and ran up $80k in debt. I paid off the debt all from my salary. And I know many Nigerians here in the neighbourhood that I live that can tell the same story.

I strongly beleive God can bless you wherever you are. If God has brought you to America, utilize the opportunity (and it is a good opportunity) to the fullest and STOP comparing yourself to your mates back home. It is 2 completely different worlds and systems

.
I absolutely subscribes and believe in your ideology.We all know that there is nowhere in the world u can rake money in the street be it Nigeria or USA but with careful planning and upgrading one can fit in to something reasonable. I love your post sir and would like to know the nature of your job as you said that you work from home because I will like such job as I will be jetting out to USA with my wife next february.
We won DVlottery and we both have our Bsc in Economics but will like to further our study there and I believe that with your type of job by God's grace, we won't find it difficult to school there. Thanks in anticipation that u'll educate me more. My email address is chirpywest@live.co.uk. Plz email me.

he willprovide

dayokanu: Everywhere has its own challenges and Nowhere in the world do they pick money on tree.

But given the two places i would rather take my chances in America than in Nigeria. I have several success stories around me from guys who migrated to America recently and are doing very fine.

3-4 weeks ago I hosted 3 guys in my house whom I met through Nairaland. They all went to school in Nigeria and came to America in january 2010. Currently the least of them makes $70k a year. these guys have accent as thick as anyone there, But they are all in the IT field and they are very much in demand.(One currently makes $85k a yr in ohio and has another offer for $95k in Missouri).

Yesterday I met up with a friend we left Nigeria the same time (2008) and he came to recruit for his company. A company reputed to be the Biggest investment bank in the World. He had a degree from UNILAG, Completed his masters in Mathematical Finance and he brushed himself up taking the CFA exam.

I have another friend who came to US in Fall 2010 he used to work with ARM in Nigeria, Came for his MBA at Wharton completed his MBA last May and CFA certified he makes over $130K a yr in a hedge fund in New Jersey.

There are thousands of Nigerians making it out there if you have the needed skills

There are jobs out there if you have the needed skillset. How come you rarely see people from India working low paying jobs? Are they not accented?

but when you go to Hospitals they are the Doctors, the Pharmacists, the Engineers they are on Wall street and they dominate IT fields? Thats because they have the needed skills to work

Imagine someone who went to kwara Poly with a degree in bankiing and Finance, Comes to America, What do you expect if you dont upgrade yourself?