How do you deal with the African mentality that anyone living abroad automatically has money to shower on them?
My colleague has tried explaining to his relatives that life abroad is not a bed of roses and that people have to work here, that nothing is free and that because he lives abroad does not mean anytime they request money from him automatically mean that he has money to lavish on them. They do not believe him. They said he's lying that they know other people who live abroad too who are buying houses for other people. What else can he do to convince them?

Tell your frnd to stop showing fakes life on facebook and other social media... Tell him to show his real life as he dey suffer with 1big mac, 2 cheese bugers and 3 refill cups of coke. i bet you they wont beg him again.

Lol. Funny. But that thinking is abnormal.
Op, I concur with what the poster ahead of me suggested.

This is not just African mentality... If you are coming from an economically poorer part of the world, once you visit your homeland, you have to be prepared for such stuff... And I am talking from my own experience back at home.

DavidJohnDavid: How do you deal with the African mentality that anyone living abroad automatically has money to shower on them?
My colleague has tried explaining to his relatives that life abroad is not a bed of roses and that people have to work here, that nothing is free and that because he lives abroad does not mean anytime they request money from him automatically mean that he has money to lavish on them. They do not believe him. They said he's lying that they know other people who live abroad too who are buying houses for other people. What else can he do to convince them?

Most people start it themselves,invite trouble to themselves i mean.
You see them pose on FBK,Twitter or send photos of them posing on a big car,telling their friends that they make thousands of $$$ by just washing plates at Mac's , flaunting what they dont have just to impress folks back at home.
Ofcourse,not everyone abroad behaves that way but the few that do/did gave people back home the impression that money grows on trees abroad.
Don't get me started on the reckless way some of the jand guys throw money around when they come back as if they did not work hard for it.Like i said,Not everyone behaves that way.

way to go?Your friend should explain in clear terms to his people that things ain't rosy abroad.He should also be mindful of the promises he make to them ie do not promise anyone what you can't fulfill.

DavidJohnDavid: How do you deal with the African mentality that anyone living abroad automatically has money to shower on them?
My colleague has tried explaining to his relatives that life abroad is not a bed of roses and that people have to work here, that nothing is free and that because he lives abroad does not mean anytime they request money from him automatically mean that he has money to lavish on them. They do not believe him. They said he's lying that they know other people who live abroad too who are buying houses for other people. What else can he do to convince them?

If he has and can spare, he should
If he does not have, he should tell them that fingers are not equal (African proverb) and that he needs some time to settle
If hes been there a while he should use loan and mortgage scope,

Also he has to manage expectations, no unnecessary poses on fb etc
Let him not let them push him to perdition because he wants to please everyone