Why are some Nigerians abroad scared of going back home?

fear of criminals? police brutality and extortion?
fear of immigration and customs activities at the point of entry?
fear of accommodation or transportation?
bad driving and bad roads?


What are some of the problems confronting Nigerians when they finally go back home and what are some of the issues preventing people from coming back home to invest in the future of this lovely country? please share your views.

Insecurity and adjustment issues.

@MAMAJAMA

You sound like your experience at home during your vacation was gruesome.

You need to calm down, things are not that bad at home.

Boy are you for real? what part of Nigeria do you live in.?have you been to the ORE, Benin or Ondo roads? Lagos mainland and Oshodi driving?

Give me a break. as sad st this may sound a fellow Nigeria told me he was glad the plane that is crashing is killing all the rich people. They should drive by road and see what poor people are experiencing.

My vacation in Nigeria is not about leisure it's about self awareness and liberation, enlightening and moving my people forward. be on the look out for my projects in 07.

Here we go again with your "moving my people forward project"

Dude, you couldn't even withstand basic pressure in Nigeria while you were there for few days, but you want to move your people forward.
From where? From the windy city? Please, give me a break!

My man, I think that project is a-little bit too heavy for you; no disrespect.

Trust me for your info I was In Nigeria for a Month, and as we speak I have people working on issues that matters to us, and I will be back in March.

I will invite you to come and see what we have going if you are interested.

Dude, just watch your back.

I wouldn't be surprised if the same folks you claim working for you on issues that matter to us are really woking towards selling your behind.

Watch your back, my man.

Thanks some people are trust worthy you know, not all Nigerians are bad, we have less than 1% giving us bad names all over the world.

Dude, I will be in Detroit for few days towards the end of this month.

How far is Chi town form Detroit?

some are scared of coming back home because their visa are expired: they over-stayed and are afraid of immigration, but not nigerian immigration. once they fly out, they can't fly in

Good point.

4 or 5 hours drive depends if you speeding.

Cool, I will holla at you few days before my trip. May be I will finally get my chance to smack you around. lol

u wish don't forget it's cold down here better have a jacket

I am a Nigerian that have lived in the U SA for twentytwo years and have never been afraid to go back home, I am a realist because having invested my productive years here, it makes no sense to just uproot and move home, for what? in a few year I will be entitled to retire and the benefits that come with it. Abi make I COME LINEUP FOR SUN JUST TO COLLECT WHAT I WORKED FOR, LIKE ALL NIGERIAN RETIREES.

MAMAJAMA:

Why are some Nigerians abroad scared of going back home?

fear of criminals? police brutality and extortion?
fear of immigration and customs activities at the point of entry?
fear of accommodation or transportation?
bad driving and bad roads?


What are some of the problems confronting Nigerians when they finally go back home and what are some of the issues preventing people from coming back home to invest in the future of this lovely country? please share your views.

Only those afraid of coming back home know the real reasons regardless of what they say outside but it will most likely not be based on the reasons/questions raised even though they seem to be the perfect excuse.

Mowapa I see what you mean, but I've been in the state for over 2 decade as well, but every time i go back to Nigeria I just see a sense of belonging, I strongly abide by the saying there is no place like home. regardless of the situation in Nigeria. there are things in Nigeria that you see that is priceless. I encourage each and every one of us to go back home and invest even if it's only $2000. that will make a difference .

Personally it's adjusting to Nigerian society and uncertainty of my future. I'll be graduating in the summer after which I plan to work here for about 18months to pay off my debts and also gain valuable experience. I haven't been home in 6yrs since I left and I'd have preferred to return home but I have to get real and face facts which means I'll must follow my head and not my heart. I cannot gamble away my blood, sweat, and tears over the last 6yrs by returning home like that. My father is not a politician, I have no politician in my family and neither do I know one so I understand my chances are rather bleak. I have done a good job during my time here so it pretty obvious I have a great chance of a career around here.

Although I plan to leave the UK by the end of 2008 come what may I'll probably be heading for Switzerland or US. I'm planning to do my own little "world tour" by spending some time living in North America, Middle East, Europe/Latin or Central America in the next 10yrs to get a taste of other cultures. I think I'll be in a better position to decide where I want to settle after this. It may well be somewhere in African but I doubt it'll be Nigeria.

Folks are scared to return to Nigeria for some of the following reasons

1. Possible armed robbery attack on the way from the airport, which is still a rather frequent occurrence, or later on at home when news spreads that a "dollar-man or woman" has just arrived.

2. Demands of the extended family who all expect to be heavily cash subsidized by the recent arrival from the land of milk and honey. Doesn't matter if the hapless visitor was a cab driver stateside, he or she will surely face an assembly line of "help" appeals from hordes of relatives known and unknown.

3. Unwillingness to live anywhere that only enjoys mains electricity for but a few hours each week.

4. Fear of being mugged, robbed, incarcerated or murdered by Nigerian "policemen".

5. Fear of knowing that if one gets in a car wreck in Nigeria, the first on the scene are likely to be pick-pockets and "sympathizers" swarming in to relieve the dead and injured of their wallets and valuables, while medical help may NEVER arrive.

Jakumo:

Folks are scared to return to Nigeria for some of the following reasons

1. Possible armed robbery attack on the way from the airport, which is still a rather frequent occurrence, or later on at home when news spreads that a "dollar-man or woman" has just arrived.

2. Demands of the extended family who all expect to be heavily cash subsidized by the recent arrival from the land of milk and honey. Doesn't matter if the hapless visitor was a cab driver stateside, he or she will surely face an assembly line of "help" appeals from hordes of relatives known and unknown.

3. Unwillingness to live anywhere that only enjoys mains electricity for but a few hours each week.

4. Fear of being mugged, robbed, incarcerated or murdered by Nigerian "policemen".

5. Fear of knowing that if one gets in a car wreck in Nigeria, the first on the scene are likely to be pick-pockets and "sympathizers" swarming in to relieve the dead and injured of their wallets and valuables, while medical help may NEVER arrive.

It is really disturbing the way and manner people talk about Nigeria as if its the worst place on planet earth.

[quote author=Afam link=topic=35527.msg817It is really disturbing the way and manner people talk about Nigeria as if its the worst place on planet earth.

its not the worst place to live but nothing they have said here is untrue, all they have said are what is happening in nigeria. no wonder nigeria was featured on bbc's weekend in the danger zone. how sad

na waa oo

mazaje:


its not the worst place to live but nothing they have said here is untrue, all they have said are what is happening in nigeria. no wonder nigeria was featured on bbc's weekend in the danger zone. how sad

Really? If you believe that the statement below is true then you need serious help. I need not go into the correctness or otherwise of the other generalizations.

5. Fear of knowing that if one gets in a car wreck in Nigeria, the first on the scene are likely to be pick-pockets and "sympathizers" swarming in to relieve the dead and injured of their wallets and valuables, while medical help may NEVER arrive.

Sad but true Afam, and yes, the chances of getting prompt medical attention after a car wreck in Nigeria are very low indeed. Conventional wisdom prevents most Nigerian road users from being altruistic and helping anyone in distress because once the Nigerian police get involved, good Samaritans quickly become "suspects" who are held accountable for the death or injury of the accident victims they carried to the hospital. And anyone hoping for an ER type rapid response to accident scenes by any organized body in Nigeria will have better luck flagging down Santa Claus and his team of raindeer as they wing their way back to the North Pole.

Jakumo:

Sad but true Afam, and yes, the chances of getting prompt medical attention after a car wreck in Nigeria are very low indeed. Conventional wisdom prevents most Nigerian road users from being altruistic and helping anyone in distress because once the Nigerian police get involved, good Samaritans quickly become "suspects" who are held accountable for the death or injury of the accident victims they carried to the hospital. And anyone hoping for an ER type rapid response to accident scenes by any organized body in Nigeria will have better luck flagging down Santa Claus and his team of raindeer as they wing their way back to the North Pole.

Chances of getting prompt medical attention after a car wreck in Nigeria is low, I won't agree with very low.

You may have issues with the sophistication of the medical services but that does not and cannot equate the comment no 5 made by someone above.

Meanwhile, drivers should be more careful so that they avoid car wrecks to begin with.

I believe in preventing problems not solving them.

interesting

Someone told me he was afraid of the juju of his' father's wives. ANd wont come back

Hello everyone.  This is quite an interesting discussion.  I live abroad and I think the isues facing Nigerians from relocating are quite enormous and diverse

In a nutshell, "Air Forces" LOL

@my2cent

Laughing!!! What Air Force ga to do with ur coming?men u very funny

I think folks out there are scare of coming back home mostly for personal reasons. Ranging from ignorance occasioned by the very biased western media to share laziness. Nigeria is a land of opportunity, still a virgin land. Ofcorse there are terrible things happening here (like any other part of the world) but we are not worse off and the rest of the world is only steps ahead, they aren't better off. Nowhere like home, however long you guys stay out there, motherland is still the place to be.

fatherland !!!!!!! just neva think abt it 4 now 2 b honest coz of all dis , dat as happened and is still happening.