This past week, I’ve been at my parents’ place working, resting and being taken care of. A couple of days ago, the typical African household “progression” conversation happened between my mom and I.
“How’s your new job going, do you like it better than the old one?“, she asked.
Oh yes, I do. Then I went on to explain the pros and benefits I now enjoy.
“But your company is foreign, why can’t they relocate you?”, she probed.
Oh boy, this again 🙄
Since returning from my MBA in 2018 and the increasing rate of japa (Nigerian slang for emigration), my mom has found every way to ask, suggest, and even plan when and how I should be using my time to write IELTS so I can emigrate like my sister.
During the lockdown in 2020, every call ended with reminding me to start prepping for IELTS. And I prepped, well until I didn’t.
“Even my tailor’s son has relocated”, she retorted. As if to say, I’m still not sure why you haven’t.
Indeed, I’m still not sure why I haven’t. A part of me wants to, but every time I think about relocation, it comes with a certain sense of uncertainty, fear and emotions I don’t even know how to unpack.
So I asked, “why do I need to relocate?” I couldn’t help but think her persistence was increasingly getting influenced by a certain fear of missing out or belonging.
“For better earning opportunities”, she screamed.
“What about the taxes?”, I replied.
“My dear, you still can’t compare it to being here. Can you compare what I am earning to what Deji (her younger sister who moved to the UK over 15 years ago) is earning.” And she went on and on.
My mom isn’t the only one that has been preaching relocation to me. My sister, brother-in-law, friends, aunts, and uncles all chip it in from time to time. And she’s absolutely right to say there are better earning opportunities, but it’s so much more.
Unlike many other things I’ve explored out of my comfort zone, for some reason, relocation has been a somewhat distant reality to me. And that’s not because I enjoy it here in Nigeria (let me not get started on the million and one things that need to work).
Right now, I just haven’t found my own why, and I think that’s an important factor when it comes to making a life changing decision.
To be fair, most people I know relocated have become better in on area of their life or another. So the conversation with my mom got me thinking a lot.
Was the fear of the unknown keeping me from enjoying new happiness instead of familiar misery?
More than ever before, the basic reasons to emigrate from Nigeria keep getting longer like a long night with traffic on 3rd mainland bridge. In fact, migration will always be a thing. The global employment landscape is also rapidly changing, and with the Open Talent Economy as the new future of work, the opportunities are abound for everyone.
Right now, many of us who live in Nigeria do not live where our ancestors lived. We live in cities, neighborhoods far away from where we grew up, and we somehow continue to find our footing. And that’s the same mindset we should have wherever we decide to put our roots.
Today’s note is not a post to tell you to japa or not japa. The decision is ultimately yours.
If you decide to relocate; make sure to build wealth, invest and thrive!
If you decide to stay back; make sure to build wealth, invest and thrive!
Whatever you do, do it for you (and leave Twitter out of it).
Hey, I really enjoyed reading all your feedback on my last post on career transitions, I’m glad it resonated with a lot of you. So here’s a heads up about something special I just started.
For the next couple of weeks, I’m offering 30 minutes 1-on-1 free calls to 30 people. Whether you’re looking to switch jobs in the same industry, looking to switch industries, or just looking for a career change; the goal is to help you make a meaningful decision. Interested? Click to book a slot in my Calendly, I’d be more than happy to talk through it.