Ah, Japa! That sweet, sweet word that makes hearts flutter and bank accounts shiver (for visa fees, abeg!). One minute, Uncle Andrew is just “checking out” Canada, next minute, everyone and their mama’s cousin is plotting their escape route. My people, the movement don turn full-blown migration wave!
Social media? E dey show us pure Hollywood blockbuster. Pictures of snow (before e turn to slush!), fancy brunches, and captions like “Living my best life in the UK!” Na wa! We see the big cars, the degrees from Oyinbo schools, the passports waving. Chai, dem dey make am! And truly, many are winning big time. Shoutout to our tech gurus crushing it in Toronto, our doctors holding down the NHS, and our aunties turning Uber into million-dollar businesses in the States! God dey.
But abeg, make we yarn small truth… Is every Japa story ending like Nollywood happy ending? Ehn ehn, abeg park well. The gram no dey show the full picture. For many, that “best life” na serious “jam water” experience.
Wetin Dey Really Happen Behind the Filter?
-
“Big Man” to “Uber Man” – The Great Deskilling Wahala: Imagine spending years becoming engineer for Naija, only to land Canada and discover your degree na like tissue paper for dem. Over 60% of our professionals there dey drive Uber or pack warehouse! Na so dem dey call you “Doctor” but you dey work for care home washing bumbum, because NHS say your Nigerian license no reach. E don tey! The frustration is real, my people.
-
Oyinbo Money Sweet, But Oyinbo Bills Na Vampire: You finally land that UK job, chest out! Salary enter account… then RENT COMOT AM! London landlords dey collect 70% of your sweat like tax. Canada winter? E no be only cold; heating bill go finish the remaining 30%! You dey earn pounds, but by the time tax, council tax, transport, and one sachet of Indomie finish, your account dey look like desert. Abeg, who send “making it” when you dey barely breathe? Some don even enter street for Canada – homeless! Chai!
-
Loneliness & Racism – The Silent Wahala Dey: Missing Mama’s pepper soup, your guys for the corner, the general “wahala solidarity” of Naija? E dey weigh heavy o! Depression dey catch plenty diaspora people like fly. Plus, some countries… dem just no like black skin or foreign accent. From Italy to South Africa, xenophobia dey show face. You dey far from home, lonely, and dem dey give you side-eye? E no easy at all.
-
Visa Wahala – The Sword of Damocles: You dey US on H1B? Your life na perpetual prayer point: “God, make them pick my name for lottery this year!” UK dey hike visa fees like say na pure gold dem dey sell. The fear of “Pack Your Bag Go Back” dey follow many like shadow. No be small tension!
So, Na Only Gutter? God Forbid! But How to Move From Surviving to Actually Thriving?
Japa no be magic carpet, but e no mean say you must suffer forever. If you dey abroad dey “manage like say dem dey pursue you,” or you dey plan your own Japa escape, here small “Japa Survival Kit” (with Pidgin Power!):
-
Upskill, Abeg! No Sleep!: Your Naija certificate stubborn? Find wetin dem want! NCLEX for nurses? PE for Engineers? Google am sharp sharp! Use Coursera, Udemy – dem get cheap courses. Bridge that gap, make your papers talk Oyinbo language too!
-
Find Your Tribe! No Dey Isolate: Loneliness dey kill faster than hunger. Join Nigerian groups for Facebook/WhatsApp! Go where dem dey sell Amala and Suya. Find your people, yarn gist, share pain (and maybe small money loan when e tight!). Community is lifeline!
-
Manage Your Kudi Like Say EFCC Dey Watch: No go dey form “Big Boy/Girl” just because dollars dey enter! Oyinbo cost of living na certified yahoo boy. Budget like your life depend on am (because e depend!). Side hustle? Remote work for Naija company? Freelance? Explore am! Every penny counts.
-
Long Term Plan No Be For Monkey: If where you dey no dey favour you (looking at you, UK visa fees!), consider “Japa Reloaded”! Canada dey give PR easier pass UK? Pack your bags again! Got business idea? Start small! Nigerian food delivery, consulting, fashion – our hustle spirit fit shine abroad too. Financial freedom na key!
The Final Gist: Japa No Be Beans, But E Fit Sweet
The truth? Some Nigerians abroad dey thrive like plant wey dem water everyday. Others dey survive like cockroach wey survive Raid. No be everybody’s story dey end for Instagram highlight.
Japa na marathon, no be 100m dash. E require strong plan, crocodile skin for hardship, and your Nigerian village people (online or offline)!
If you dey there dey find am tough, know say you no be alone. Your struggle real, but e no mean say you fail. Keep pushing, use the tips, find your people.
If you dey still for Naija dey dream Japa, open your eyes well well! Research till your head dey spin. Save money like squirrel. Prepare for winter (both weather and life!). Japa fit be blessing, but na serious hustle no be beans.
So, wetin you think? Thriving or just dey manage? Share your own Japa gist (the good, bad, and ugly!) for comments below! Let’s yarn!
#JapaRealities
#NigerianDiaspora
#NoBeMagic
#JapaStruggles
#ThrivingAbroad #PidginTruth