₦airaland Forum

The death of a 35-year-old Nigerian man in the United Kingdom is not just painful; it is devastating. Ekeobong Omega Nelson died on 17 October 2026, leaving his wife and two children behind. One can only imagine the grief his family is battling. He reportedly went to sleep and never woke up. Earlier this year, a Ghanaian nurse, Richmond Mensah, 33, reportedly passed away in similar circumstances while resting in preparation for a night shift.

Samuel Acquah, 38, worked as a theatre nurse at Southend University Hospital in Essex. He failed to report for his shift, and his colleagues later found him dead at his home on 18 August 2025. He was believed to have died in his sleep. He left his wife and two daughters behind in Ghana.

In April 2026, another Nigerian, Ademola Oke, 37, reportedly died after being found unresponsive at his workplace in the United Kingdom. According to reports, he appeared to be in good health when he left home for work and kept in touch with his wife.
There are many other reports of young Nigerians dying suddenly. The list is becoming longer, and these deaths raise questions about the pressures facing Africans working in the UK.

Although the causes of these deaths have not necessarily been established, the circumstances raise concerns about work-related stress, night shifts and long working hours. I want to add that working night shifts and long, extended hours place a heavy burden on the human body. Because humans are biologically wired to be active by day and sleep by night, disrupting this natural rhythm creates a cascade of physiological and psychological stress. Major health agencies, such as the CDC and the World Health Organisation, link chronic night work and long hours to several severe health issues such as Circadian Misalignment, Metabolic and digestive disorders, mental health challenges, immune system suppression, and cancer risk.

In other articles I have authored, I have lamented how Nigerians and other Africans work themselves to exhaustion in the UK. I have seen Nigerians do 12-hour shifts for seven consecutive days. These are not regular white-collar jobs. They are physically and emotionally exhausting.

Some of these jobs involve cleaning large spaces, heavy lifting in warehouses, construction work and caring for elderly people, vulnerable adults and patients with mental health conditions. Working with mentally ill patients might appear simple, but it can be highly dangerous. It can involve physical intervention, verbal abuse and serious physical attacks. It is like being paid to be a punching bag. People lose their lives, suffer eye injuries, break their noses and sustain severe injuries doing these jobs.

Many Nigerians have little awareness of the risks involved in these jobs. They are often focused on the money. People mount unnecessary pressure on themselves. I have seen cases where a support worker’s car is more expensive than that of a medical consultant who earns considerably more. Some Nigerians will finish a day shift somewhere and head straight to another workplace for a night shift.

Something is constantly chasing Nigerians. It might be the desire to acquire a luxury car they are struggling to pay for through car finance, or a mortgage with high repayments. Some want the latest Apple products. In this age of social media, everybody wants to create enviable content about their success and attract followers. Some people use nearly all their earnings to fund the survival of family members back home. Resting and getting enough sleep have become luxuries for some Nigerians in the UK.

To balance family responsibilities with work, some Nigerian men resort to night shifts. The potential health risks associated with night work and inadequate rest are often overlooked. Nobody seems to be looking at the bigger picture. The focus is on immediate financial gains.

I never knew work-related stress could have such serious consequences for a person’s health until I moved to the UK. Sometimes, it feels like a slow process that gradually wears you down. Before you know it, your health has suffered in ways you may not have anticipated. Your watch ends, and all your plans are paused forever. Nigerians need to slow down in their desperate search for money and prioritise their health. Financial success means little if you sacrifice your wellbeing in the process.

Do not allow any family member or friend to mount unreasonable financial pressure on you because you are abroad. Preserve your life first. If you die, the people you were supporting will continue with their lives and face their problems in other ways.

Stay alive!

Caaz:
I don't envy people living in the abroad.









Facts!!

TheStoriesOfMan:
Abeg no go abroad. Who go dey give us better delicious food dumps na?

TheStoriesOfMan:
Ever since I was young, I disliked anything japaa.

I've always believed that there are millions of opportunities here in Nigeria.

Anybody who doesn't have the brain or initiative to start up something tangible in Nigeria will continue to ramble like the dust.

I never get funds, but so far I can look back and smile for making me not take that heartbreaking decision to travel abroad in 2017.

I'm not there yet, but soon, very soon, I'll fufill my destiny.

FayaBall:
They said that it was better to die there na, so no need stressing

Caaz:
People plenty here wey go give Una better food dumps.
Dem plenty for food section sir.


I know how much dey Comot from my pocket in the process of preparing the foods.

I go still relocate go the better**abroad** with my family and e go favour me and my family.

You nor go like go abroad too?

TheStoriesOfMan:
To be honest, I never liked abroad. If you give me Schengen visa and 10 million to choose from, I'll take the cash.

I never liked abroad for one second. I can't cope there because the place is brain-draining and I won't be compensated for my efforts. Besides, money is not everything. I cherish my peace, quietness and hope and I will not trade it for any foreign land.

As for the food dumps,I never see anybody wey dey post better food dumps pass you, except if I never see.

SaintLucia:
Stupidity is when you sold property worth over 50 million naira to japa and end up becoming a nanny abroad. An NGO empowered a woman here very close to my former area with grinding machine, the hard woman later bought two additional grinding machine for her business. I was surprised when she shown me her ajo daily saving card where she save N15,000 naira daily from the same business while adding groundnut oil, palm oil, maggi and semo into the business. She started small and gradually expanding her business. Kudos to her.