Should you go to a country with less Nigerians/ Africans?
Excerpts from my conversation eariler this week on relocation with a friend: “Femi, I want to go to a country where there arent a lot of Nigerians. You know how we go to a place and spoil it with our bad behavior….”
Me: “I see your point, its not a prudent decision and I wish you would consider. When you go to a place with little or no black people, it is either because that place is extremely unwelcoming to (black) immigrants (which really dangerous for you as a Nigerian) OR nobody has really thought of going there (which is also really weird since there are Nigerians everywhere).
But more important, is that the perks/ privileges et al that you see black people enjoying in a lot of these countries today, even in the TRNC (which attracts you) were fought and sometimes paid for in full with mental health, blood and (countless) lives. The more black people (esp. Africans) there are in a place, the more privileges you have and the less battles you’d need to fight. Going by this logic, the less Africans you see/ meet in place, the less privileges you have and the more battles you need to fight. From Europe to the US & Canada to Asia to South America, it is all the same thing. If you feel you are up the task and your mental health can take it, by all means please go ahead.
A Nigerian died in the TRNC some years ago. He was ill and needed a transplant. Nothing major that the healthcare system here couldnt handle. The govt put him on a waitlist for an organ/ donor (obviously after their own citizens). He couldnt wait that long. His brother offered to donate. Arrangements were made to fly the brother in since the patient couldnt fly. The govt refused to approve the brother as a donor. Why? Their policy says that before an immigrant can receive transplant from a donor (even if it is family), the donor has to have been a legal resident in the country for at least 2 years. This was impossible given the situation and the govt was unwilling to bulge.
Eventually, in the middle of all the back and forth, the guy died. As usual with the Nigerian govt, nothing happened. As you know, our foreign policy is currently a mess. The international student community was mad and protested leading to the formation of VOIS (Voice of International Students) Cyprus. Over the last 2 years, they have played a huge role in fighting some of these battles.
My point is: some of the privileges in healthcare we enjoy in the TRNC today were paid for with that guy’s life. We salute him but that is the price of going where blacks are not (yet) welcome. When planning to relocate, dont be swayed by PR, the country’s wealth and pictures on social media.
Instead, find out how friendly and welcoming they are to immigrants especially black immigrants BEFORE you move….unless you are willing, able and ready to fight these battles…perhaps with your life. See John 4:38 KJV; I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
Every immigrant is basically entering into the labours of those who have gone before them.
There are always new battles to fight but some can be avoided if you go where you are wanted/ welcomed.
Remain blessed
