₦airaland Forum

MAYOWAAK:
TO ALL MY FRIENDS LEAVING NIGERIA AND THOSE STAYING BEHIND...

More than ever before, I have seen and heard about so many people leaving the country, Nigeria.
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It’s as if a memo was sent across the land advising people to “up and go” and doubt it not, people are doing just that.
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While training a corporate organization some weeks ago, I heard the story of a High Networth Individual who made the decision to exit. His colleagues were shocked. He earns very well. He has an enviable package and he was living “the life” but alas, he had his eyes on other things.
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I know someone who used to be a VERY STRONG ADVOCATE of Nigeria, its potential, rich resources and possibilities who has now relocated to another country.
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I have friends who had great dreams of occupying key positions in the Nigerian government who have long travelled out and others who are making solid plans to do just that.
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Don’t be surprised if some of your most loyal friends call you via WhatsApp sometime soon to let you know that they now live in Australia, South Africa, UK, USA or the new favourite, CANADA.
They’ll be living out Adele’s “Hello from the other side”�
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Before, it was the people who were struggling to survive who were rushing out. Now, even those who are well to do are securing papers and citizenships like teenagers buying JAMB forms. After all, some South American Islands have enticing offers that are accessible to those who have the funds for it.
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You might even be plotting your own exit while reading this�
Who knows?
Migration from any social system is normal but MASS migration is often an indication of DANGER. People migrate when there’s real or perceived danger.
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Many people feel the Nigerian System is DANGEROUS to their lives and destinies.

That’s why both the rich and the poor are desperately seeking a way outta hear.
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This is more than a quest for money, recognition, fame or position. This is about SAFETY&SECURITY.

There are many reasons why people leave places- relationships, businesses, ministries and ventures.

But it’s usually one or more of these 3 reasons:
- When there’s insecurity and the threat of danger.
- When they no longer see their future in it.
- When they see a greater promise of better returns in or from another place.
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No matter how patriotic you are, I don’t think you can deny the fact that you’ve observed at least one of these reasons at some point in your experience or contemplation.

So, what are the implications of these?

Too many to mention in this post.

Should you “jet out” too?
It really depends on you and what you perceive your Maker has called you to do.

I don’t hold the keys to your destiny and I might not be in the best position to make recommendations. However I have a few thoughts that could help:

IF YOU’RE LEAVING NIGERIA,
1. Do it from a place of personal conviction and not just peer or social pressure. What’s good for one may be disastrous for another.

2. Ensure you’re not only riding on passion and frustration. If those are your primary or only drivers, you and your potential will become caged by the relative comfort you’ll have when you get to another country.

3. Seek God’s face to ensure you’re in line with His will. He knows the past, present and future and can tell you exactly what to do, where, when and how. Be sensitive to His instructions. He may give you instructions that aren’t in line with your preferences.

4. Exit Nigeria and enter that country of your dreams legally so that you don’t become trapped in it and you can be free to travel to other places at any time you wish.

5. Be very strategic and intentional with your preparation process. Consult those who have gone ahead and let them give you the details of their own transition experiences so that you don’t get shocked by the realities you May have to handle.

6. Keep your ties and some investments in Nigeria. Things can still turn for the better and it can happen much faster than we even project. Don’t cut your friends and family in Nigeria off. You may need them more than you think and they may need you too.

7. Get wise and trusted advisers and mentors you can reach out to for advice, prayers, perspective and encouragement from time to time.

IF YOU DECIDE TO STAY IN NIGERIA

1. Face this reality: Based on historical facts, trends, raw data, the attitudes of the general populace, the drama surrounding the outcomes of the last election, and the pervasive bureaucratic impediments, there MIGHT not be any LANDSLIDE/WIDESPREAD transformation for another 12 years. This is not pessimism. Do notice my use of MIGHT.
I can’t go into the detailed analysis of my proposition but if you’re a student of social transformation, you’ll understand what I mean.

2. Know what YOU’RE doing.
You can’t afford to “float”, “fantasize” or drift around with false hope.
What are you doing?
What are you working on?
What are building?

Who are you investing in?
Why?
What sectors are you considering?
What’s your end game?

3. Seek God’s face to endure you’re not suffering in the name of solidarity. Are you called to Nigeria or to a space in it? If so, what are the details of that assignment? How long is it? Lifelong or seasonal?

4. Build Microsystems and leverage Macrosystems. You can’t leave your life to the mercies of an ecosystem that’s struggling to support itself. Some aspects of the Nigerian system are functional but most are dysfunctional. How can you create microsystems with the goal of expanding them to benefit others?

5. Invest in people. Pour into people. Build teams. Volunteer for value-adding programs and projects.
Nigeria is made up of people. You don’t change nations. You influence people who then change their nation together.

6. Fix your finances.
Remember that you’re your own “local government” and you need money to do all the things you need to do. Invest in learning how to make your money work in Nigeria. Know the right skills to acquire. Don’t waste time gathering certificates that have nothing to do with the course of your life. One major skill you need is NETWORKING.

7. Pray, fast and get closer to God. You’re living in a system that can rubbish the best of people. Without God’s backing, your best plans may still be endangered.

With these in mind, I hope I’ve offered some helpful insights whichever way you choose, to stay or to leave.

Let me know your thoughts and be sure to SHARE this.

SOURCE: FROM THE FACEBOOK PAGE OF DAMILOLA OLUWATOYINBO

Bravo!

TheAlchemist:
What is good about Nigeria is it the multitude of commuter queuing for hours for non existence brt buses. Only the selfish ,self centered would consider Nigeria a paradise

Lol!...Plenty!...Here are some of them:

Endless Corruption

Little to no enforcement of paying Taxes

Endless Nepotism to achieve things

Ability to make fast money

The opportunities for self-centered people to enjoy amenities that an average Nigeria citizen can only dream of...and the list goes on.

We that is the abroad need more prayers, fasting and getting closer to God than you people in Nigeria.

thebosstrevor:
i like your thought..nigerians themselves do not know the opportunities they have if they create business.. Nigeria is the largest black country in the world meaning other black countries look up to Nigeria... now is the time to spread to those black countries with our product and sell to them.. that is what the whites are doing..

Not everyone understands , honestly if anyone gave me money for a visa to travel out right now I would invest it in a business immediately, developing countries are treasures of solid wealth all over the world , an a country like Nigeria is no exception sometimes I wonder why someone like aliko isn't climbing the Forbes list yearly , with his resources and the potentials in Africa if he wanted to become the worlds wealthiest man I believe that could happen, business entrepreneurs are changing the world one product at a time by God's grace I am no exception, I can't spend five years in the school and end up shouting no jobs ,I dont need a salary when I have a business plan.

congi:
The depth of hopelessness is palpable. There is no indication things will change in the medium to long term. If you have the means and opportunity, please heed this advice for the sake of your children.
My brother and his wife were denied boarding a flight to Mauritius for a life-changing job interview on Tuesday because their PTA was not in cash but in card account. All effort to quickly get dollars at the airport was abortive ass the gate was closed before they arrived. The pregnant immigration officer, Blesssing, did not inform them until 15 minutes to closure. She had held them under the guise of confirming their hotel booking only to ask for their travel allowance in cash when the hotel responded. They lost that opportunity and over a million naira air ticket.
Will this country ever value her citizens?

that's very cruel!

thebosstrevor:
i like your thought..nigerians themselves do not know the opportunities they have if they create business.. Nigeria is the largest black country in the world meaning other black countries look up to Nigeria... now is the time to spread to those black countries with our product and sell to them.. that is what the whites are doing..

Funny and wishful thinking.

What are the products does Nigeria have that other African Countries don't already have

Beautyaddy:
Funny and wishful thinking.

What are the products does Nigeria have that other African Countries don't already have

the products I have up in my head bro, even the western countries lack it , creativity and passion my friend is rainbow colored a thousand people can look at it and still fail to see the same color at the same time .

Piercy:
the products I have up in my head bro, even the western countries lack it , creativity and passion my friend is rainbow colored a thousand people can look at it and still fail to see the same color at the same time .

SMH!!...I knew this must be a joke from you.

Piercy:
Not everyone understands , honestly if anyone gave me money for a visa to travel out right now I would invest it in a business immediately, developing countries are treasures of solid wealth all over the world , an a country like Nigeria is no exception sometimes[b] I wonder why someone like aliko isn't climbing the Forbes list yearly , with his resources and the potentials in Africa if he wanted to become the worlds wealthiest man I believe that could happen,[/b] business entrepreneurs are changing the world one product at a time by God's grace I am no exception, I can't spend five years in the school and end up shouting no jobs ,I dont need a salary when I have a business plan.

I like your optimism but dreams and reality are totally different different.

AZeD1:
I like your optimism but dreams and reality are totally different different.

pretty sure the same thing people talked about when. the wright brothers made plans for the first air plane , reality is just a conduit to our dreams sir , right now right here some one has this totally ridiculous idea that could change or even more solve one universal problem or the other , reality is no excuse to dream neither is it a constraint to pursue them.

take cues from billionaires , it started with just this ridiculous crazy idea.

Beautyaddy:
SMH!!...I knew this must be a joke from you.

then you must be reading swahili.

[quote author=Piercy post=78153265][/quote]Do you currently run a business in Nigeria? You come across to me like a typical motivational speaker who is ignorant of the facts on the ground.

MajorJeffery:
Even the heavens won't forgive whoever has the opportunity of leaving Nigeria but don't wanna utilize it.

Yes it's not a bed of roses any where but hardwork pays in saner societies. Providing safe society, energy, good drinking water, good roads and sound healthcare in Nigeria isn't a rocket science. Are those so hard to provide by those thieves in Abuja? Abeg, leave that sh1t hole if you can.

"..... but hard work pays in saner socities". Very good my brother. Some people accused those going out of doing menia or less dignify job despite the fact that they are well paid. How has Nigeria govt reward those doing dignify job at home?

thebosstrevor:
if the children of my ex governors are living abroad that is their luck..they themselves know that they will be average citizens that is why many of them also run back to nigeria after facing discrimination and bias abroad..

number 1 there are no 200 million niggers in Nigeria..they have their own culture and know where they come from..they were not kidnapped or taken into slavery..so your nigger rhetoric doesn't make one sense..Nigeria is not a time bomb and cannever be one..the only problem with nigeria is its people nothing more..a country developed only when its citizens finds solution to problems..that is how other cultures developed.

secondly, oil is still a major source of income for many oil producing countries that is why they formed a very strong catel called opec and also oil is still the means to power machinery all over the world..do you think solar energy can power factories..lol..oil will still be very useful in the next 40 years..what we should be talking about is taking advantage of our cheap labours so that international brands that wanna cut cost can outsource some of their manufacturing to us just like what they do in Bangladesh, china, Vietnam and other Asian countries.

high birth rate doesn't necessarily affect any development..what matters most is proper planning..china and India has proven that having a high birth rate can make you a superpower and a big market.

Thoughtful!

Grupo:
Do you currently run a business in Nigeria? You come across to me like a typical motivational speaker who is ignorant of the facts on the ground.

lol I am in my final year sir as a computer science student and I and a few friends who we all are working hand in hand as software developers , our recent project has been approved and a few of our contact friends over seas seemed a bit awe at the potential of what we are currently designing, few softwares offer what ours is already boasting of , potentials we didn't even think it has but by his grace this software is going places , am not a motivational speaker bro , words mean nothing if you cant apply them .

Piercy:
lol I am in my final year sir as a computer science and I and a few friends who we all are working hand in hand as software developers , our recent project has been approved and a few of our contacts over seas seemed a bit awe at the potential of what we are currently designing few softwares offer what ours is already boasting of , potentials we didn't even think it has but by his grace this software is going places , am not a motivational speaker bro , words mean nothing if you cant apply them .

When you spoke about opportunities in Africa and Nigeria, I knew you were a mere idealist who has never done a real business before.

Abeg who get better link to a better country to travel

Grupo:
When you spoke about opportunities in Africa and Nigeria, I knew you were a mere idealist who has never done a real business before.

do this;
take a screen shot of this comment ,very soon you will believe what ideals can do, keep relying on the experiences of what other have done , they either applied too little or applied too much , I come from a business family , I have been a part of it , smale scale and big scale , most part of my life , give me a loan of 300k oga and see what ideas would build.

Piercy:
pretty sure the same thing people talked about when. the wright brothers made plans for the first air plane , reality is just a conduit to our dreams sir , right now right here some one has this totally ridiculous idea that could change or even more solve one universal problem or the other , reality is no excuse to dream neither is it a constraint to pursue them.

take cues from billionaires , it started with just this ridiculous crazy idea.

The Wright brothers were realist, you are not...
If you think Dangote isn't trying to make more money then you are deluded

Piercy:
lol I am in my final year sir as a computer science student and I and a few friends who we all are working hand in hand as software developers , our recent project has been approved and a few of our contact friends over seas seemed a bit awe at the potential of what we are currently designing, few softwares offer what ours is already boasting of , potentials we didn't even think it has but by his grace this software is going places , am not a motivational speaker bro , words mean nothing if you cant apply them .

Go ask Shim Shagaya, Jason Njoku and co what it takes to build a software business in Nigeria...

Only 40% of Nigerians are banked so from a population of (180M, you are now left with 108 that can process transactions through the bank)

Of that 108, less than 50% have ATM cards with those having, probably having at least 2....


There's literally no startup in Nigeria today in which I don't know one developer and everyone starts with an awesome idea until reality hits and they realize that Nigeria's population is deceiving.

Many will end up in jail outside nigeria ...millions will rot in jail for sure...because most want to take the short cut...fraud or drug pushers.. many living in nigeria are better off than many abroad..many travel for pleasure ..by the grace of God i willl be amongts the few thag travel for biz and pleasure only not for any downdrading greener pasture..

Beautyaddy:
Funny and wishful thinking.

What are the products does Nigeria have that other African Countries don't already have

yeah but the chinese keep bringing products for us to buy and in fact finding products on our own ground... your comment do not make sense

Ladies and gentlemen, there is no right or wrong opinion when it comes to leaving Nigeria, we all see things differently. What is wrong is always using money as a yardstick for everyone who wants to leave the country. Not everyone sees being a millionaire as an achievement.

I used to be anti abroad those days. The way some of you criticize people wanting to relocate abroad is also what i do at that time. I remember when my brother first asked me to relocate, i remember asking him what he has achieved that i have not achieved while in Nigeria. I was a lucky chap, graduated and got a good job immediately and started making good money at young age. At mid 20s, i had my ride, bought lands and already building. To me at that time everything was money and i was making it.

However, as i started traveling out of the country on visit, Nigeria started annoying me because of her state. Yes,individually we have money than a lot of people abroad but then the country cannot measure up to those countries in all indices. Anyway, i was not still convinced of relocating abroad but one incident made my mentality change forever.

One faithful night around 12.15 am, my friend who was out of town on a business trip called me with his voice shaking. Reason; his pregnant wife is having serious issues and she needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. His wife is one of those women whose pregnancy is always full of complications and that is why her mother is always living with her during the period.

During this period, there was security issues in the area as we keep hearing gunshots every night, so the whole area was tensed. So when my friend needed my help take his wife to the hospital that night, i and my wife was scared to move out that night for fear of the unknown even though there were 4 ready cars (I had 2, my friend had 2 cars). As i got to his house ( we were neighbors separated by a fence), his wife was crying but scared to move out at that time.

In order to dodge going out at that time, i called a doctor i know to come and attend to her ( I thought i was sharp guy), the doctor said the best thing is to take her to the hospital and at that point,i had no choice than to drive her to the hospital as it was now a matter of life and death and i won't forgive myself if she dies, i had to take the risk.

Just before we are about to enter the car, she told us to wait, that she is getting some relief and that the pains are reducing. Lo and behold, 5 minutes after, she said she was okay and she didn't need to go again till morning. I guess the fear of those gunshots made her well by force. i told her to call her husband, my friend so that he will know it is his wife's decision. That was how i escaped going out that night.

When i was telling my cousin abroad what happened, he just downplayed the issue. He said " You should have just called 911 and they will send an ambulance and police if there is a security threat in your area in 5 minutes. You didn't need to carry someone who needs an emergency care in an ordinary car to the hospital, it is the job of an ambulance as they would be attending to her even before she gets to the hospital. In an emergency, one minute of medical care can make a difference. what if she dies on the road inside your car?"

At this point,it dawned on me that the money and cars we claim to have will have been useless in a very serious emergency situation. It was after this incident, i started making concrete plans to relocate until i did and i am enjoying life here even though i am not yet making the kind of money i was making in Nigeria but i know i will get there. See guys,i will take a working system and infrastructure over being a millionaire in a shithole, i am telling you from experience from both world.

AZeD1:
The Wright brothers were realist, you are not...
If you think Dangote isn't trying to make more money then you are deluded


Go ask Shim Shagaya, Jason Njoku and co what it takes to build a software business in Nigeria...

Only 40% of Nigerians are banked so from a population of (180M, you are now left with 108 that can process transactions through the bank)

Of that 108, less than 50% have ATM cards with those having, probably having at least 2....


There's literally no startup in Nigeria today in which I don't know one developer and everyone starts with an awesome idea until reality hits and they realize that Nigeria's population is deceiving.

i would have love to agree with you but in 2018 iroko tv made almost 3million usd ... most of his revenue were from Nigeria

Yes e no easy over der

Princedapace:
If u have ur way, leave this country... My friend is not finding things easy in the USA but she is happy.. At least, she has stable electricity, she pays for what she sees, she has world class health facilities, and above all, she has a better future for her kids..

pls, leave nigeria if u have ur way. No place is easy, but just leave. Leave oooooo.

These leaders and the high level of illiteracy in the country arent helping matter anytime soon..

Buhari will rule for another 4 years and still, nothing will change, still the same dirty cities, poor electricity, poor security, poor education, poor roads, poor salaries, massive corruption, favoritism, and all that.

thebosstrevor:
yeah but the chinese keep bringing products for us to buy and in fact finding products on our own ground... your comment do not make sense

And what are those products the Chinese are bringing into Nigeria that cannot be made in Nigeria by Nigerians

Good

AjalaDtraveller:
Anyone relocating should be aware there are a lot of challenges abroad too. As there are poor people in Nigeria so are there very poor people in Europe, America and other nations too.
As a Nigerian migrant most people's certificate from Nigeria would not cut it. You may have to go back to their own school and get their own certification while doing survival jobs. Also your African background may stand in the way for countries like in the EU, there is an unwritten law, that will favour Citizens first then other EU citizens then "others". It's not an easy road at all and there may be periods of questioning ones decision to relocate in the first place. This are things one needs to put into consideration before making the decision. It's not to be taken lightly especially if you already have a settled decent living that comes with a good job already.
Not to discourage anyone o. But that's my personal observation.
Picture taken in USA, New York city

nawa o

Piercy:
Not everyone understands , honestly if anyone gave me money for a visa to travel out right now I would invest it in a business immediately, developing countries are treasures of solid wealth all over the world , an a country like Nigeria is no exception sometimes I wonder why someone like aliko isn't climbing the Forbes list yearly , with his resources and the potentials in Africa if he wanted to become the worlds wealthiest man I believe that could happen, business entrepreneurs are changing the world one product at a time by God's grace I am no exception, I can't spend five years in the school and end up shouting no jobs ,I dont need a salary when I have a business plan.

i understand you very well..most people dont understand the type of opportunity in this country nigeria... they dont know..you can basically start anything and succed here in this unregulated market

AZeD1:
The Wright brothers were realist, you are not...
If you think Dangote isn't trying to make more money then you are deluded


Go ask Shim Shagaya, Jason Njoku and co what it takes to build a software business in Nigeria...

Only 40% of Nigerians are banked so from a population of (180M, you are now left with 108 that can process transactions through the bank)

Of that 108, less than 50% have ATM cards with those having, probably having at least 2....


There's literally no startup in Nigeria today in which I don't know one developer and everyone starts with an awesome idea until reality hits and they realize that Nigeria's population is deceiving.

SMH, enough said ..like said people learn from experience some aply too much of it and other apply less , my name will make grounds not i just in a white country but in my country its not a belief its a plan .

some month ago when i visited my aunty , she told me about her poultry and the lack of profits she was making, I wanted to help her so I went to the market , went online did some research and I told her to go get a loan cos she was ready to give the business her all so I told her to do all this.
*increase her poultry stock and employ more people.
*get someone who can help her deliver chickens to people via delivery service ,she had a pick up truck .
*design a business card and go to,restaurants, joints, eateries and supermarkets to offer them the services of supplying them already prepared ones .
* get a deep freezer to store , get a packaging pack to kill and store the birds .
*get a stand in the market to help her sell .
*get souvenirs which she could put in packages for customers .
*get little booklets where recipes of various menus can be added to her products as her souvenirs.

they were mere ideas but I am grateful she did take my advice serious ,poultry no be business poultry no be business my bro my aunty is planning on establishing a fish farm as we speak, her poultry is doing great.

Things are hard ,the economy is bad but that is not enough to stop me from making clean honest money ,even in war people still make money.

thebosstrevor:
if the children of my ex governors are living abroad that is their luck..they themselves know that they will be average citizens that is why many of them also run back to nigeria after facing discrimination and bias abroad..

number 1 there are no 200 million niggers in Nigeria..they have their own culture and know where they come from..they were not kidnapped or taken into slavery..so your nigger rhetoric doesn't make one sense..Nigeria is not a time bomb and cannever be one..the only problem with nigeria is its people nothing more..a country developed only when its citizens finds solution to problems..that is how other cultures developed.

secondly, oil is still a major source of income for many oil producing countries that is why they formed a very strong catel called opec and also oil is still the means to power machinery all over the world..do you think solar energy can power factories..lol..oil will still be very useful in the next 40 years..what we should be talking about is taking advantage of our cheap labours so that international brands that wanna cut cost can outsource some of their manufacturing to us just like what they do in Bangladesh, china, Vietnam and other Asian countries.

high birth rate doesn't necessarily affect any development..what matters most is proper planning..china and India has proven that having a high birth rate can make you a superpower and a big market.

all i read here are gross misinformation. U dont know anyone of them who faced bias and ran back do u? They visit. I visit too. Nigeria is sweet when u have ur visa and flight ticket ready.

2nd niggers are blacks...whether taken into slavery or not. We developed late and that affects us. That is why the poorest countries are black majority countries despite huge resources. Knowing where u come from means nothing. Most african americans live better lives and have better opportunities than the so called africans with roots living in africa. U say nigeria's problem is the people? Wat do u think i was talking about! Go to gabon and see beautiful country with beautiful people.

Even if oil remains relevant till next 1000 years the fact is that nigeria's reserve will finish in the next 30 years given current mining rate. Wat do u plan to depend on after? We are having our best years and we are not utilising it well. Our children will really curse us when they read that nigeria once had oil

India and china dont have high birth rate. They have high population...not the same thing.
We are growing faster than our economy...china and india economy are growing faster than their population and its even bad for china they had to stop their one child policy.

We are in deep poo bro...realising it is the 1st step to doing something radical to stop our problems getting worse

Beautyaddy:
And what are those products the Chinese are bringing into Nigeria that cannot be made in Nigeria by Nigerians

the cheap electronics they bring into this country are nigerians producing them

In china, they have sweatshops for the manufacturing of every damn electronics in this world, what you just have to do is to check for quality when mnufacturing.. that is why the world outsource to them and guess who are the workers in the sweat shop..villagers.. so continue deceiving yourself...we just have theoretical skills..our practical skills is zero and for outsourcing to come to nigeria..we need to have millions of people with practical skills

thebosstrevor:
i understand you very well..most people dont understand the type of opportunity in this country nigeria... they dont know..you can basically start anything and succed here in this unregulated market

very true .