uche87: Psychologically, the human brain is wired to remember pain more easily than good experiences. You might feed a man 100 times, and he may forget. But he will never forget the day you sent him away from your house, and that memory might define his relationship with you.
This is the problem the UK has. The country has been receiving a lot of bad press in recent times. As a writer, I have also been guilty of this. A poultry farmer recently criticised Nigerians in the UK, claiming they work three shifts just to survive. He also said that no Nigerian in the UK can boast of having £20,000 in their bank account. Similarly, a social media personality, Temi Ashebu, a 46-year-old single mother based in Florida, US, accused Nigerian men in the UK of mostly doing menial jobs to survive. This has become the strategy of people seeking social media attention, and it is unlikely to stop. It is rage bait.
The UK certainly has its challenges. However, people often become so accustomed to the positives of a place that they begin to focus almost entirely on the negatives. After the excitement of settling into a new environment fades, the mind naturally adapts and starts noticing imperfections instead.
I want this article to offer something beyond what you can easily find on Google, so I will make it a little personal.
In 2022, I met a lady at work who told me she had been earning less than ₦50,000 a month in Nigeria. Life became so difficult that a family member agreed to fund her relocation abroad with the understanding that she would repay the money later. She grabbed the opportunity. From earning ₦50,000, she began making the equivalent of over ₦2,000,000 a month doing blue-collar jobs. She proudly told me she was almost done repaying the money, much to the surprise of the person who financed her relocation. To her, the UK was the best country in the world.
I also met a teacher who earned ₦70,000 a month, and even those salaries were irregular. Sometimes, her employer simply did not pay. Moving to the UK transformed not only her life but also the future of her son, who was still in Nigeria at the time.
Another person is my benefactor. He was born into a large family in the suburbs of Lagos State. Life was hard. He lived with his family in an uncompleted building while pursuing a career in Accounting and trying his hand at business. The more money he made, the greater the financial demands from his extended family became.
One night, he sat down and reflected on his life. He realised that a rich man surrounded by poor people can still feel poor. He knew he needed to take a bold step, create a fresh path and open doors for his siblings. With the little money he had saved, he relocated to the UK about 12 years ago, long before the healthcare visa era.
According to him, life was difficult. Visa sponsorship required almost divine intervention. He worked in factories, warehouses, hospitals, bars, anywhere he could find work. During COVID, he laced up his boots and confronted danger daily. He eventually made enough money to buy a house, got married and started bringing members of his family to the UK. This man played a significant role in bringing me here, and I will always be grateful. Today, life is good, and most of his siblings are now in the UK working in professional careers.
I remember arriving in the UK in October 2021 with just £10, which I exchanged at Yaba Market in Lagos, two large travelling bags filled with foodstuffs that my mum packed for me, and about ₦100,000 in my account. I arrived alone. Today, if I choose to leave, I will be leaving with a beautiful family. I also went from doing a blue-collar job to sitting in a predominantly white office in a major government organisation.
What amazes me most is what the future could hold. I love the quality of education my son is receiving, and I look forward to helping him fulfil his potential. I now send my parents sizeable monthly stipends, and they can visit the UK whenever they wish. I could never have done that while living in Nigeria. One day, I told my dad, “Whenever you need anything, just call me. I am here for you.” He almost cried.
My story is not an isolated one. Many Nigerians who started with blue-collar jobs are gradually transitioning into technology, management and other professional careers. Is it easy? No. Is it possible? Absolutely.
I know an engineer who was working in healthcare and preparing to leave the UK because his visa was about to expire. Someone encouraged him to keep applying for jobs, even though it seemed like searching for a needle in a haystack. He gave it one last shot and landed a £79,000-a-year role with a well-known logistics company. The company sponsored both his visa and those of his family members for five years, covering all the associated costs.
The statistics also tell an interesting story. Nigeria is consistently listed by the Migration Observatory and the World Bank as one of the top recipients of remittances sent from the UK, alongside India and Pakistan. Official migrant remittances leaving the UK amount to roughly £9.3 billion each year. Nigeria receives a significant share of that money. The reverse is virtually non-existent.
Is the UK a perfect place? Certainly not. Life is expensive, visa restrictions can slow people’s progress, the cost of living is high, racism still exists, and good jobs can be difficult to secure.
The problem is that many Nigerians who are doing well value their privacy and rarely share their success stories. Those who are struggling often take to social media to vent their frustrations, while others pretend everything is perfect. In today’s world, the loudest voices often shape public perception.
To this day, there is still a huge demand for talented Nigerians in the UK, and there are many legitimate opportunities for those who are willing to work hard, develop themselves and remain consistent. The UK is not perfect, but for many people, it remains a place where lives can be transformed.
I often wonder what my life would have looked like if I had never moved here. For everything this country has made possible for my family and me, I remain deeply grateful.
Your stories may be true. Europe or America or your home country is a choice. The choice that you may continue to live with for the rest of your life. Every human being must have a value they live for. Your value in life matters. If you need a good life and you have no money as a Nigerian, may be u may gather money and travel out of Nigeria to Europeor America. You will suffer! You will cry but it may pay off later. But if u value ur v Africanness; u have self-esteem and believe in yourself, Europe or America will be like an Illusion! For me, I have escaped the illusion or misery of "if I don't relocate to Europe or America, I would not make it"! I relocated my family from the UK to Nigeria having spent over 60m. My eyes are clear! Choose ur value in life. Stop telling people what to do with their choices!
Useless education the author obtained from school. What more can a citizen hope from a committed leader like Jagaban. It is obvious that the author knows nothing about the structural rot that has permeated the Nigerian state for a long time! Anyway, I don't need to engage in an intellectual argument with this unintelligent write-up.
WriterNig: 🇷🇺 Russia and 🇺🇦 Ukraine returned bodies of their soldiers on Thursday, marking the first such exchange between the two warring countries this year.
Smartworkfx2: Reading this past tweet of reno omokri, l am still amazed of how he got tinubu's approval. Can someone explain how this man became tinubu's loyalist.
Did RENO actually write this?. zoom and read carefully. Fani Kayode also made worse statements.
Tinubu is good at buying his enemies over. Same way he is buying PDP governors and members now.
If you are actually popular, how come you lost election in Lagos state. Kwankwaso is his next target.
Some of my friends blocked me because of buhari in 2015 and 2019. Some are repeating the same mistake now because of Tinubu. so l asked them why is tinubu using money to attract people to APC.
You are creating enemies because of politicians that don't know you. Tribe, region and religion sentiments will destroy you dear friends. I pray for your healing today.
it is called politics. Both ur saintly garment and Tinubu's supposed crooked linen are same. If your mind is not strong, stay away!
lagonovo: Unrelated topic: my brother's mentor, a renowned prof and 80s graduate of OAU told him that the greatness ended in 1992. He said anything after that was empty noise. Babangida destroyed everything.
E pain my brother die. The man was his lecturer at Ife but they ran into each other again in New York.
I graduated from OAU in 2008. I had the opportunity to travel to the USA but did not and to the UK but those places are not in my life. I travel there and come back. However, generally all the Federal Institutions are retrogressing! Only independence of these universities could bring them back on their feet.
agentNija: The worst in history. His only CV is "it is my turn". Nothing to offer.
For real? Because of rice wea you no dey plant? You dare call the African best president the worst? Oh my God!! I pity your life! Send me your account number let me send u money to buy rice!
Are Zelensky and Putin's children or brothers among the dead soldiers? What a world? Barbaric and greedy leaders sacrificing the lives of the poor to flex their muscles! The soldiers that know not why they fight?
The Kingdom of God is here within us! We are gods! Co-creators with all the super creators! Death is the only enemy we have! It is death that scares many of us! It shall be no more!
Popular Nigerian content creator Shank has added a luxurious new ride to his garage a Mercedes AMG GLE 63 S Coupe reportedly worth over $100,000.
The skit maker shared the exciting news with fans, celebrating the milestone with photos and congratulatory messages from fellow celebrities and fans alike.
In the coming years, a lot of these people will buy my 5 tubers of yam for 100k, one chicken for 100k too and other food items! All of you are chasing online money, abandoning farming! Where una food go dey come from?
abc115: "Furthermore, I also confer posthumous national honours on Ken Saro Wiwa (CON), the leader of the Ogoni Nine and his fellow travellers, Saturday Dobee (OON), Nordu Eawo (OON), Daniel Gbooko (OON), Paul Levera (OON), Felix Nuate (OON), Baribor Bera (OON), Barinem Kiobel (OON), and John Kpuine (OON). I shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon, together with others whose names shall be announced later in conjunction with the National Council of State."
President Bola Tinubu
Please, try not to get killed by another man! If Tinubu had been killed before he took off on excile, he wouldnt have become the Nigerian President!
Kingpele: Wow....we need Adesina at all cost to become our president in 2027 before fake accountant finish this country patapata
Look at this one? What do you know? Adesina's policies will be far worse (better) than Tinubu's! You think subsidy is the right way to grow a country? A country can only thrive if they have one language (not colonial), similar culture, religious tolerance, and same tribe! All these factors will contribute to the growth of a country! Tinubu's policies may seem bad but they are very good. How can a section of the country be thriving upon the success of the other one? You rely on the taxes paid by one section to develop the other! Haba! Many people on this App dont think?
[quote author=Racoon post=135041100][/quote]With all these kinds of untimely and unwarranted deaths, do u think Christianity has power? All the deaths described here contradict the potency and all manners of miracles narrated in the New Testament! We must all wake up Africans!
Namaster: I HATE official communication written in PIDGIN. It's CRASS and DISTASTEFUL.
ANYBODY who can read this NONSENSE would also be able to read a memo written in simple and correct English.
A press release in pidgin is just DUMB!
Plus, the entire thing sounds patronising and condescending.
Makes me want to uproot a MAST.
Wetin be this? This thing wey dey sweet me die! See, I have B.A (English literature) M.A.(Literature-in-English), but this communication bam! Toriola dey street!
Mallam, I smile to myself! You are very fortunate! Asiwaju has done nothing wrong but put the country in a very good position that whosoever comes after him will have no choice than to perform or crumble! PBAT 4+4!
Obaman12: And I'm almost 33 here in Nigeria without a job and nothing to account for.
God when will my time come ?
I was like you in Nigeria until I floated my own farmimg company. Go for farmimg. Go for goateryand sheep farming. Or start something u like. Dont wait for any government!
Edygrin: The Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has blasted Nigerians, saying the sufferings in the country are the result of the bad choices made during the 2023 elections.
In fact all of you will start paying tax! Olori gbeske! Reforms are bad! The church money u collect, u dey use am buying jeeps! Awon oponu eeyan! All you do in churches is to deceive ur sheepies and take them to slaughter! Eyin eeyan radarada yi! All of you tithe collectors, ile maa binu siyin ni! Eni waa mo! Eyin agbaaya gbogbo!
Brendaniel: The Southwest has produced the worst form of politics to the Nigerian system and that's one major reason the country is where it is today, thanks to Tinubu...
That's why some of them think it will work in Rivers state, Sorry Obasa you were just in the wrong region for your action, not that you are a good person either
Ori e ti buru! Your envy will send u straight to hell!
Brilliant007: I step out of Lagos searching for a reliable camry 2004. I saw many dealers on Jiji and nairaland. I visited each of them with my reliable mechanic. After checking several cars, we discovered that none of the Nigerian used cars is worth buying . They always have one problem or the other. The most common is bad engines.
Many dealers even promised to give my mechanic 100k behind my back to convince me to buy this melon car.
It's crazy that with 4.5 million, all you can get is a bad car. We return home disappointed.
On getting home. I went back to check my own car that I have been driving for 5 years. My engine, gear, and ac are still in perfect condition and I wonder if those putting their car on sale are those with major problem.
Nigeria dealers have ruined the used car market. Is this a problem with toyota or because the car is a lower year.
I didn't consider other brands. Maybe it would have been a different situation.
At the moment, we are considering buying Tokunbo direct or on installment payment in order to evade this madness in the Nigerian used car Market
Eeyah. You may try Abuja. But the truth is fairly used cars are very costly these days since imported cars are on the high side! But a car of 2004 is estimatedly 21 years old old! To get a good engine go hard! Just add money and go buy imported Toyota Rav 4 2007. The engine is durable!
Travel › Re: The Untold Side Of Japa: Why The UK Still Changes Lives by BabaAgba79(m): 3:34pm On Aug 02
?