How To Leave Nigeria!

I remember when I was growing up as a child how much I wanted to leave not cos things were hard but cos I just wanted freedom. I wanted to be a Boxer then cos I loved boxing like die then. My father used to tell me that I had no ambition if that's why I

2. wanted to travel. My father used to tell us about those called Baba London in those days cos he studied in England in the early 60s. Staying back abroad in those days was seen as a sign of failure to achieve anything worthy to make you return to Nigeria. He returned to

3. after studying Law at Holborn College and started working as a Civil Servant in the Old Western region. He made it clear that alot of Nigerians were stranded abroad cos they couldn't get much done, some of them died out of frustration. He insisted that I won't travel without.

4. As God would have it, I lost interest and focused on my studies in the days when education was a form of competition amongst peers. You would write GCE exams & your friends would copy your results for you at WAEC office incase you wanted to lie about your results.

5. Fast track to 2006, I arrived Canada on December 31st 2006 in the thick of winter....the breeze that hit me as I stepped out of Pearson's Int'l Airport made me run back inside and questioned why I came. I came as a Permanent Resident from day one. By February 21, 2007 I was on

6. my way back to leaving my wife behind cos I couldn't cope. I left as a Manager in a big organization, I came with the naija mentality of "I am a big boy". I had no one to direct my path. I bought a car the 2nd week I landed cos I was still covered to drive with my naija

7. license but the guy who did the paper work (a Nigerian) did Oluwole papers for the car. I was pulled over on February 18 2007 by a Cop & it was discovered that I had no car insurance....penalty was $5k fine. The car was towed back home as I wasn't allowed to drive it back.

8. I was in for 6weeks, came back to look for a job. My first job was as a security guard at one of Canada's biggest Telecoms. I last a few weeks cos my ego couldn't take the "humiliation". After some time, I got a job at a Brewery where I was loading Beer on pallets.

9. A particular night, piled up pallets fell on me & I had to be on administrative duties. I didn't want to return to the floor. I woke up one day & said I have had enough & reworked my goals. I started self studying for a career change. I had no one to advice me on what to do.

10. It took me some years to establish myself doing menial jobs we look down on in . Today, pple see the testimonies but not the tests.

I never for once saw in bad lights. No one is stopping you from travelling but have a vision. Without , I won't be where I am today.

My wife too had her challenges before she eventually became a Nurse after graduating from in Economics. I hated pizza with a passion but out of hunger, I had to eat it one day. Till today, Pizza means suffering to me.

Alot of pple are stranded here cos they don't have papers.

12. When you think travelling abroad is the solution to your problems, you don't have a vision to chase. Seeking asylum is not the way to go. You either come good or you don't come at all.

I thank God for heeding my father's advice.

God bless you Nigeria!!!