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As a kid, I remember I had an aunt called Aunt UK . All I could think of, day and night, was the fact that my aunt was probably a custodian of the United Kingdom. I reveled in that alternative fact for years. . It took me a while to figure out that her own 'U.K.' was a short form of the name Eucharia.
This just means there are some things you should figure out on your own. Now on to the main issue.
As we all grew up, I'm sure, hope also grew in us. Hope that we could be anything we wanted to be in Nigeria. Hope that Nigeria was the giant of Africa, thus, her citizens would be paramount to the country's leaders. Unfortunately, this hope started to wane after the High school O'level education was acquired.
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Getting admission for many people amounted to heinous forms of bribery and pocket padding of such enviable positions that 'October Rush' became a favourite pastime of many Nigerian university staff.
It got worse when many students quickly figured out that there were lecturers that had to be 'sorted' for a student to get a meaningful grade in their course.
Hope probably diminished for many when many of us graduated, scrambled through the NYSC scheme and then stayed jobless for years. You see, no matter what you think, everyone on earth cannot be their 'own Boss'. Some people must always work for others.
Some people are better off working with supervision. Some others can't function with other people as teammates. That is life!
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So you see, as much as I wouldn't come here to encourage brain drain, or advise anyone to run away from their 'fatherland' or 'their roots' or whatever fancy words we decide to call it, I totally understand why someone would willingly transplant themselves to a foreign country, in the hope that their fortunes would turn around.
Ever since the invention of money, bills have been paid. Bills will continue to be paid, no matter what country you live in.
Nigerians actually pay a lot of bills that just don't translate to result on grounds, and cover it with the usual 'I'm a proud Nigerian. We don't pay bills like people abroad'.
Hilarious!
Nigerians pay water bills, PHCN extended overdraft bill, PHCN reconnection bill, annual house rent, Police roadblock bill(Anything for the boys bill), Police bail bill(Police is your friend bill), Police raid bill (I no follow bill), FRSC collection, Immigration officers welfare bill, Lagos to South-East highway bill, Automatic tax deduction from salaries, generator purchase and servicing bill, generator fuel bill, recharge card bill, cooking gas bill, car loan, hospital deposit bill, university sorting bill, lecturer appreciation bill, estate development levy, and even gate-man bill, all without seeing any visible result, yet you want to slander people who live abroad and pay a fraction of these and enjoy the result?
NO!
I don't have figures, but I daresay a majority of Nigerians who traveled abroad and are working legally, are living better than they ever would have, if they had stayed in Nigeria.
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Point is, if you feel a certain country doesn't work for you, change position.
There are Nigerians born in the US who had to relocate to Nigeria to make it. There are Americans who had to move to Australia to make it.
You don't have more than a century on earth. Why do you want to live and die without enjoying some of the simple pleasures of this earth?
Don't listen to anyone who tries to discourage you from traveling. If your mind is made up, and you have the financial means, and you have a viable plan, move yourself.
Keep moving!
Keep moving!!
Keep moving!!!
You are not a Tree!
Don't let your environment determine your future!