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  • Every week, Zikoko seeks to understand how people move the Naira in and out of their lives. Some stories will be struggle-ish, others will be bougie. All the time, it’ll be revealing.

    This weeks’ #Nairalife was made possible by FCMB’s promise of quality medical care from the comfort of your home.

    Do you remember the first time someone called you rich and you were extremely triggered?

    My cousins in London. For some reason, their step mum painted an exaggerated version of our family to them. They genuinely thought we were “living in a mansion, driving the latest Benz” life. It was so annoying because I only had £40 in my account and someone was stressing me that I was rich, hahaha. 

    It was 2012, and I was 17.

    What was the real picture of what life was like?

    We definitely were not poor or suffering, but we weren’t rich either. It’s like my dad spent all his money on educating all his kids. 

    I remember asking for things and he would just say, sorry I can’t give you this because I need to pay your brother’s school fees or you can’t travel to so and so place. So, while we weren’t suffering, all the money went to our schooling. 

    The drive.

    My dad is obsessed with education, it’s what helped him get to where he is in life. It gave him a second chance because he had it rough growing up. So, he made sure to get us the best education possible. If you looked at our family from that lens, you’d be like oh wow these guys are rich. But he was taking loans to do this, saving like crazy and investing a shit load, for us.

    How rough? Paint a picture.

    I don’t know, but he doesn’t talk much about it. His dad died when he was pretty young. His mum was a trader. When his dad died, his mum did her best to send all her children to primary school. She was illiterate but learned from her brothers that education was the next best thing. She’s the one that got him obsessed with going to school. Anyway, she had 8 children so, at some point, she couldn’t pay for school for him anymore. 

    Woah.

    She had so many responsibilities and things. So, my dad had to live with someone else, to make space in his mother’s house for his other siblings. He used to sell groundnut in the streets, at some point he started DJ’ing in clubs in secondary school to earn money. He was the ultimate hustler. 

    Anyway, his mum paid for his secondary school and university, against all odds. 

    This was quite the game-changer, wasn’t it?

    Well, of course. I mean he still had to do sell a thing or two in school, like buying and selling milk to his coursemates for extra cash. But it was definitely a game-changer. He wouldn’t have been able to go to the quality schools if she didn’t go to great length.

    Your dad managed to fund your school fees. Let’s do the math.

    I got a scholarship but I can’t remember how much.

    Remember that he had other children abroad while paying this; Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

    Plus he used to send me £200 every month, except in my 2nd year when I worked. That one was so expensive he couldn’t afford the accommodation at first. I stayed with a relative for the first 6 months.

    One sibling started in 2015, and won’t be done till 2022. Another started in 2012 and is currently doing Masters. 

    The last-born has gained admission in Canada already. It is COVID that delayed everything. At some point my dad was so broke he considered letting the last born school in Nigeria. Then one day he just came and said, “Canada it is. I will figure it out.”

    How does one even pay for all of this?

    Loans. And lots of savings. Because I know damn well he doesn’t have the money sitting somewhere. He runs a full-time job, does two things part-time, and tried to start a business that COVID said no to. 

    Also, stop obsessing about my dad, hahaha.

    Fair, because I was just about to segue. So, what do you do? 

    I’m a consultant at a global media agency based in Nigeria. 

    Hmmm. Global. Is the money global too? 

    Well, it’s $2,000 a month – $1980 if you remove bank charges. 

    This puts you in the upper strata of the supposed global middle class.

    Hahaha. Wow. This money that I’m managing. 

    Hmmm. Managing. Tell me how you manage every month. 

    It changes every month, but this is what an ideal month looks like.

    ₦10k goes to fuel. ₦20k goes to internet subscriptions. Rent? Zero, hahaha. ₦150k goes to just spending; I’m always buying food for myself or bae. Or taking my friends. ₦20k is for toiletries and random things for my body and bathroom.

    The rest almost always goes to my dad. He thinks I’m borrowing him but I’ve dashed him.

    That’s interesting, that last part. Tell me about the first time it happened.

    It was 2019, and he didn’t have the money to pay for one of my sibling’s accommodation. I could tell it was stressing him out. And I had $4000 sitting on my account, I was saving it but I didn’t have any immediate use for it. So, I was like here you go, Daddy. He was so grateful for it.

    Because I don’t pay rent, health insurance, and transport, I always have money. So, it’s easy to give him. He’s saying he’ll pay me back. But for me I’ve dashed him. It’s happened all the time since then. 

    How have these experiences shaped your perspective on money?

    I don’t really know. I have never thought about it. I think one thing I’m certain of is that I want to have bastard money. There’s always something to spend on, someone’s school fees to pay, someone’s book fees to help out with. I want to have enough money to cover those expenses, not even for myself. For them.

    I hope you get it. Looking at what you currently earn, how much do you think you should be earning? 

    I know I should be earning at least $3000 for my current level. I didn’t negotiate properly when I was just starting out. I was coming from a salary of about $600 to $2000, so the difference seemed a lot to me. But based on industry standards, definitely $3000. 

    You’re living a version of the Nigerian dream; earn global, spend local. What’s something you didn’t expect to be a source of stress for you, that is now?

    Black tax. I knew it would come eventually, but not on this scale. I barely save except, except for my current moving-out fund. All my savings go to someone’s school fees or something. I’d have had millions of naira in my account if not for that. I could have gotten a house.

    Hence, the trigger when people say you’re rich. 

    Oh my God, yes. It’s so annoying. I mean I’m definitely not poor, I’ve never had to beg for money. If I’m begging it’s from my friends and I always pay them back. But for some reason, people always make jokes about me having money. 

    And what makes it triggering is not saying I’m rich or asking for money, it is the timing of it. It always comes when my account is empty or almost empty. Imagine someone continuously making rich jokes when you have just ₦10k in your account.

    Your spending power feels relatively small compared to what you earn. 

    On average I spend about $400. I don’t have external expenses like rent or medical bills, so it makes it easy to spend less. 

    The big project savings only happens occasionally, everything else goes to the family. So, like $1400 goes to the family. My dad never ever asks me for this money, by the way. It’s just that I always feel some sort of guilt seeing him hustle so much. 

    Imagine your dad struggling to pay school fees and you have a shitload of money in your account doing nothing? It just makes sense giving him instead of having the money sleep there. And he always accepts it, so that means he needs it. Even though he won’t ask when I don’t show up. He doesn’t rely on me or anyone else. He always finds away. But I’m always happy to help him. Until I no longer can.

    That’s heavy. 

    Haha. My dad is my guy. Anything for him. 

    Where does your mum sit in the context of money and household income?

    Interesting question. She doesn’t contribute much, barely actually. She works but all the money goes back into her business which has been recently tested by COVID 19. It’s such a struggle that sometimes we hand her money for rent and other business-related expenses.

    You said “no longer can” earlier, and I’m curious about that.

    I’m moving out soon, it means I’ll have additional expenses of my own to worry about. I’ll have to worry about rent and my own personal expenses. So, there will be less to contribute unless I get a raise or a better job.

    What are the things that need to happen for you to unlock your next level of income?

    I already have the skillset needed to get a raise but I’m not sure the place I work is interested in giving me a raise since I’m a consultant, not full-time staff. I have to either find a better paying job or stick there till a miracle happens.

    Stick there? Do you ever get the sense of feeling trapped? 

    I’m getting there. When I feel like I can no longer take it, I’ll move on. For now, there are still some benefits of sticking there. I am picking up other unrelated skills that will help me moving forward. For now, it’s keeping me occupied. I’m also building a fantastic global network. It helps to know many people in high places haha.

    How much do you think you’ll be earning in, say 5 years?

    $10,000 a month. Or more. But in 5 years, I don’t know if I’ll be doing the same thing or in the same industry so it’s hard to say.

    What’s something you want right now but can’t afford?

    A house. Always a good investment.

    What’s something you wish you could be better at, financially?

    I don’t know shit about investment. I know I don’t have enough to invest but I haven’t taken the time out to learn my options at least. I need to fix that.

    Financial regrets?

    I wish I didn’t buy a car haha. I love driving but I hate driving because of mad people. I almost always Uber because of the traffic and because I need to work in transit. So, sometimes I think of what I could have done with that car money instead. It cost nearly $6,000.

    You don’t even think in naira. Why all this?

    Naira is setting me back, my dear. I’m thinking for the future when I move outside the country. Also, I earn in dollars so it’s easier to calculate my expenses in the currency I earn in. 

    Did I just hear you say japa?

    I’m not a fan of migration or the Canada hype. But I know that for the type of opportunities I want, there is very little Nigeria can give me. At some point, the UK or the US will come calling. 

    I can’t work with local agencies or media companies. They can’t afford to pay me, and they can’t offer me the type of environment or network I’m looking for. So, inevitably I’ll bounce outside the country.

    On a scale of 1-10, financial happiness? 

    8. I’m very happy because I’m not suffering or poor. I could be saving and earning more but I’m definitely okay. 

    One last question. 

    Shoot. 

    Your dad giving you the best quality of education means that you actually went to school with rich people. What was that like for you? 

    It was such a weird change that started from secondary school – it was an expensive private school here in Nigeria. I was coming from a background that you can call razz, and I got bullied for it and called ‘local’ a lot.

    Their pocket money was like ₦20k every month and I was getting like ₦3 – ₦5k. I’d never travelled abroad or even entered a plane at the time. Whenever we travelled, it was by road.

    So, having rich schoolmates was such an experience. I wasn’t poor but my family couldn’t compete financially and socially with all those guys there. But I tell you it shaped me. 

    On some days, it hurt to be dragged but for the most part, I was fine. I experienced different sides of the coin, I guess. And by the time I finished secondary school, I had a network of friends outside my family status. 

    It turned out to be a blessing.

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  • What does life look like for Gen Z Nigerians everywhere in the world? Every Friday, we ask five Gen Z Nigerian students one question in order to understand their outlook of life. 

    Religion is a big topic for Nigerians because we live in a very religious society. This week, we asked them how their faith (or lack of) has been impacted by the education they receive.

    Here’s what they said: 

    Ana: Afe Babalola, 19-years-old. No religion, just vibes

    Going to University definitely affected my faith.. Before I went, I was kind of a Christian. Now? Not so much. As a biochemistry major in my third year, you see all the processes of life explained. Science is my peace, and it does not allow for the thousand and one loopholes Christianity does. It is relatable, I understand it. They teach me that miracles are things science just does not have an explanation for yet. I feel the only thing still tying me down to a belief in a higher power, is the creation of the world. Once I figure that out, I am golden. My parents don’t know, and I don’t plan on telling them. Not at least until I’m out of their house. 

    Chidinma: University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 20-years-old. Christian

    I am a very religious person. Christianity is my push and driving force. It was integrated into every area of my life, at least before I started psychology. I’m in my third year now, and one thing we have to learn is to celebrate personal bias and faith from work. Although prayer gives me peace, I cannot advise that as a solution to a patient. Learning that in school, is teaching me how to separate my faith from all other areas of my life, and I do not know what that means for me right now. 

    Kabiru: UniLorin, 18-years-old, Muslim

    I guess I am a bit too strong in my faith to have anything shake it, education or otherwise. Allah has been there for me even before I was born, so why will education make me turn my back on that? The knowledge I am trying so desperately to get was given to me by Allah. He is the reason I am able to start school in the first place.

    Tolu: Covenant University, 21-years-old, Christian

    We attend church a lot in school. It is a requirement to graduate so I really did not have a choice. I was not one of the strongest Muslims out there, because I found the religion a bit off, so maybe that was why it was so easy for me to convert to Christianity. I had a lot of Christian friends, and they always spoke about faith and love of God. It felt nice, and I wanted to see what they were on about anyway. I kept telling myself that if this also doesn’t feel right, I’d just leave. It feels right. I’m meant to graduate this year, so we’ll see how this goes. 

    Cynthia: UniLag, 19-years-old, Polytheist

    As someone that studies Creative Arts, perspective is very important. There is nothing really objective, everything is based on the subject. That is how my faith started to change. By my second year (in my third now), Muslim? Christian? Traditional worshipper? All of them became right, and all of them wrong. It is all based on perspective.

    For more stories about student life and Gen-Z culture, click here

  • The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.

    On Abroad Life today, Deyo tells us how his curiosity and passion for solving the electricity problem in Nigeria took him from the hydroelectric station in Kwara State to Canada and why he plans to return to Nigeria to implement all he’s learning.

    How long have you been in Canada? AKA Abroad Nigeria

    January made it five years, so five and a half years.

    Wow! That’s a long time

    When I first came here and met people that had been here for five years, I had the same reaction but five years later it still feels like I’m new.

    What part of it feels new to you?

    It’s mostly because I still meet people that have been here for decades, who moved here from Nigeria, and all over the world. 

    People say that everywhere you go in Canada, you’ll see Nigerians. How true is that?

    It’s hard to survey. I’m in Ottawa and there’s a sizable number of Nigerians here, but if you compare it to Toronto, that number is nothing. You’ll find more Nigerians in Toronto than in any other place in Canada. I’m four and a half hours away from Toronto by road. That’s where some of my Nigerian friends are, so if I want to see them I’ll just drive there. 

    Ottawa and Toronto are in the same province which is Ontario, so in this province I’d say there are many Nigerians.

    Do you know why Nigerians decide to stay in Toronto?

    Toronto is a really big city. It’s like the Lagos of Canada. It’s a very metropolitan city, and it’s very busy so there are a lot of opportunities. It also has industrial activities so people go there to find opportunities.

    When did you decide that you wanted to leave Nigeria?

    I worked at Jebba Hydroelectric Power Station in Jebba which is a border town between Niger and Kwara state. The hydroelectric facility there uses water from a flowing river to generate electricity. At that point, I was looking to further my career and my experience there exposed me to renewable energy. The Nigerian power sector had too many problems for me to feel comfortable to develop professionally. I felt like going abroad would help me get some exposure and experience. The plan was to come back because I am mind blown at the amount of resources we have in Nigeria. I was exposed to how electricity was generated and all I could think about was how to scale it so that the entire population gets electricity, because we’re a huge population and the demand for electricity is high, but the supply is low.

    Canada is very big in renewable energy so I chose to go to Canada.

    Wait, so this isn’t a japa story?

    Nope. I came to get some exposure, and then fix some problems. 

    It’s nice to see a different mindset. After five and a half years, would you say you have that same outlook?

    Even though it’s taking a while, the answer is yes. People say things are bad in Nigeria and it’s silly to return and try to make it better but the fact is that things are bad all over the world. 

    So from Jebba to Ottawa, how has the self-development journey been?

    I came out here as a student to do my masters. The opportunity to get into Canada was more on the studying part. That was the most feasible way for me, because if it was just getting a job, I wouldn’t be able to compete with other people. So coming to study was the approach. I came as a student, and I finished my masters in 2016.

    The course —  Systems Science — was very complex; the description is “a course about solving complex problems” and based on my exposure in the Nigerian power sector,  I can say the problem in Nigeria is complex. I have been in the system and I know what’s going on there so I said to myself, “okay, Systems Science is good”. It was also a good segue from my Systems Engineering background in UNILAG, even though I didn’t finish that one with a first class or a 2.1.

    So, a systems engineering background, masters from the university in Ottawa, and  background in electricity generation in the power sector. You must have been hot cake.

    I thought I’d be hot cake as well but soon I realised that these streets are tough. All around the world, an economy is an economy. Nobody just gets handed anything. I have seen many Nigerians come here and expect to ‘blow’ immediately. In trying to leave Nigeria, they burn bridges and then face reality when they get here. It doesn’t always end well.

    So while still looking for a job, with my Canadian university masters, I started working at a warehouse, picking orders.   

    A Warehouse. How did that make you feel?

    To me, it was unfair. It felt unfair because I felt that someone with a masters degree program in my discipline was not supposed to be doing such jobs. This was so far from my evaluation of what things would be. I had even engaged my fiancée before coming so that when I got my masters, I would bring her over, marry her, and then focus on the rest of my self development. Everything looked nice on paper. In retrospect however, that was one of my best learning experiences. I still work at that same company, but I rose through the ranks to where I am today.

    She joined me later though and even though we had some paperwork problems that meant she had to go back to Nigeria for about two years with our son, she’s back and we’re all here together with our permanent residence, and with our son as a full citizen. 

    How did it feel raising a child away from home?

    One word: Adventurous. At the point of fatherhood, I had already been through and survived enough life’s circumstances for me to realize that having an optimistic attitude would help me through my greatest challenges as I venture through life. So I just took it one day at a time. 

    I’m going back to the top now. How easy was it getting a student visa?

    There’s nothing easy in this life but I don’t want to discourage anyone. They’ll give you a list of documents you need. Make sure you have all of them and follow due process. If you get rejected, which I did, take it as feedback and work towards not getting rejected again. 

    When you first got to Canada, what was the first difference you noticed? 

    The weather in Canada is as bad as people say it is. I came in winter with just a fleece jacket and when I got off the plane I thought there was some disaster going on. It was so bad, I had to run back into the plane to ask a guard if he knew what was happening outside. I usually like to keep an open mind, so a lot of the other stuff was just normal to me. 

    Like Racism?

    Yeah any kind of discrimination, I don’t like using that word (racism). I don’t see it a lot, or if it happens to me I don’t engage in it. I try to navigate it and think maybe the person is having a bad day and acting like this but not that they’re being racist. 

    With this pandemic and everyone being at home, how has that affected you as a father, worker and husband?

    I’m in charge of Quality Assurance for Information Systems where I work — the enemy of a software developer. To carry out that role there’s no need to be in the office so I’ve been working from home. The challenge with working from home is my son doesn’t want to hear any stories; he doesn’t understand what work is and why it is necessary, so he wants to play when he wants to play and I find that challenging because at first I tried to explain to him but now the challenge is being able to balance my work with his play time; I can’t really argue with whenever he wants to play. I never win, it’s just having to balance my time and work, that’s the challenge for me right now. My wife is very supportive.

    Children…

    So, where would you rather be, Canada or Nigeria?

    It depends on a lot. Right now there’s a very interesting conversation going on globally around energy, energy access, energy efficiency, and energy security. With the way the world is, with the pandemic and all, being in Nigeria might be frustrating because everyone is meant to be staying indoors and how can you stay indoors without stable electricity. So I would love to be in Nigeria, but I wouldn’t want to be stuck in Nigeria because I’m not where I want to be in my self development journey. I still keep close contacts with a lot of people in the power sector in Nigeria and we talk about how to move things forward from bottom up but it’s not so straightforward. 

    I’m putting in the work though. I hope it works out. 

    What do you miss about Nigeria?

    Family, friends and Owambe food. 

    I hope we see you soon. 

    Want more Abroad Life? Check in every Friday at 9 A.M. (WAT) for a new episode. Until then, read every story of the series here.

  • The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.

    The subject of this week’s Abroad Life has chosen to be anonymous. She is a 21-year old International Economics and Relations student who left Nigeria for Ukraine when she was 17. She talks about racism and why she’s done with both Nigeria and Ukraine.

    First things first, what’s a 21 year old Nigerian woman looking for in Ukraine, with no family there?

    I’m in university, studying International Economics and Relations. 

    What happened to UNILAG?

    Haha…The atmosphere in Nigeria is not a very good place for studying. If we’re going to be frank with each other. I have watched people ahead of me do six years for a course that was meant to last four years. There’s always a delay, somehow, as if it’s a curse. Personally, I’m not about to go on a break in between school, so that’s one major thing.

    So when did you decide that you were going to leave?

    It was June 2018. I had just finished secondary school and I had a friend in Ukraine already, who was studying medicine. It was her uncle who set up everything for her. She told me to come because the process was easy and I told my mom. My mom linked up with the uncle and he actually did the processing. 

    I thought this was one of those scam stories.

    Haha.. Nope. We needed some documents, which we were able to present. I had to go to the embassy at Abuja, and I got my visa. So from the time when I decided I was going to study in Ukraine, when I applied to the school, and I told my mom, and I got my visa, it took about two weeks.

    Two weeks?

    Two weeks. Although, I really don’t know how much it cost and all that because at time I was still 17 going 18 that month. My work was just to make sure I appear, and present all the needed documents and I did that. I left very shortly after.

    Considering how short the time was, you didn’t have much time to say goodbye to friends and family. How was that?

    It was actually cool for me, I’m not that person that has a lot of friends and all so it wasn’t too dramatic. We are in the 21st Century where you can just text “Hey, I’m leaving to study in Ukraine, I’ll see you in four years.” or make a call and you’re good. It’s never as deep as going round visiting. My family followed me to the airport. It was just normal.

    So you’re arriving in Ukraine, a place where you’ve never been before. What hit you the hardest?

    My God, it was the language. I didn’t have any time to learn so it was super complex. Even now, I’m always on my phone using a translator. Luckily for me, as you enter the country, the people that check the visa and your documents speak English so that helped me at least get myself into the country. I had booked for someone to pick me from Kyiv to my city, and that was a six-hour drive. After that, I found a way to settle. Google Translate everywhere. 

    So if I’m coming to Ukraine, I know I need to learn the language, thanks. What else do I need?

    Should I be honest?

    Hit me.

    Don’t come to Ukraine. 

    But…

    I’m just being honest with you. You know that racism thing that they’re shouting in the US? Hmm.

    Every time I enter a bus here, people act like the grim reaper has just entered and they have to avoid me at all costs. You see people instinctively using their bags to occupy seats and moving away. If you sit beside one white person, odds are they’ll stand up and leave you with an empty seat. 

    Wow

    I’m probably just a very self aware person, but these things get to me. It’s weird feeling like you don’t fit in society and whenever you try to fit, society looks at you and says “Nope, you don’t belong here”. In my experience, it’s also been really hard to get a job, and it doesn’t help that black people pay more for stuff like housing than locals. 

    Why is that?

    I don’t know. But me and some other black students pay $250 a month for rent in our different apartments. In the same building complex, whitestudents pay $150 or even less. Wanna hear the worst part?

    It gets worse?

    We have separate classes for blacks and whites.

    That’s not possible!

    I’m dead ass serious about that

    What’s the name of your school?

    I’d rather not say. In fact, I want to be anonymous. 

    There’s also the little things like being on a queue for something and not being attended to until all the white people have been. But you know Africans are free spirited, so we don’t take things to heart, we just deal with whatever comes. 
    What is the distribution of white to black people in your city?

    There are actually a lot of black people here, you’ll find Ghanaians, Kenyans, Tanzanians, Ethiopians, South Africans, people from Swaziland, there are plenty black people here. My city isn’t very big so maybe that accounts for why they treat us like this.

    Do you think nationality doesn’t matter when this racism happens?

    Yes, every black person is treated the same. Recently a boy was stabbed, and they’ve been dragging the case for a while, but now they want the case to go because it’s a black guy and they’re making his murder his own fault. 

    Why am I speechless?

    There’s NUGS (National Union of Ghanaian Students) there’s NUNS (National Union of Nigerian Students) here though and they play their parts in expressing our interests.

    I feel like I have to clarify though, that they won’t violently attack you. In fact, as a black woman, I can freely walk at any time of the night and feel safe. You just won’t have the same rights as everyone else.

    That’s crazy, and I hate to hear that you’re experiencing that. So how many years is your course and how far gone are you?

    I’m doing a 4 year course and by God’s grace I’ll be in my 3rd year by September.

    Are you planning on leaving once that’s done?

    Definitely. I do not see a future for myself here.

    Okay so you can’t wait to leave and come back to Nigeria? 

    Nah, not Nigeria. Somewhere else maybe. I’m done with the two countries. Living abroad has made me see how much we suffer in Nigeria. 

    Gun to your head, pick a place to stay, Ukraine or Nigeria?

    I’d pick Ukraine.

    Balance me here real quick.  So you’d rather stay where you face racism nonstop?

    There’s tribalism in Nigeria that lets people get more opportunities than others. They’re brothers. Nigerians even get violent sometimes. I’d stay here if it was the only choice. If I’m getting treated differently because I’m black, and I’m also getting treated differently because I’m Yoruba, what’s the difference?

    That’s…interesting.So, how is daily life in Ukraine?

    One thing I should let you know; feeding is cheap.

    Cheaper than in Nigeria?

    100%

    Wow! What do they eat?

    We have African stores here so you’ll buy your stuff. But food generally, is cheap. 

    What do Ukrainians eat?

    Apart from their traditional food, they eat a lot of junk. They have their own food but I haven’t tried it because I’m not interested. 

    So you’re not immersing yourself in their culture? 

    No. I don’t feel accepted so it’s not natural for me.

    Apart from food, how would you say it’s different from Nigeria? 

    Nightlife is very safe; you can walk on the roads at night even as a girl. I’m an introvert so I’ve never been to a club here but I hear it’s cheap to enter. I’ve got just a few friends, I’m not a people person. Transportation is also pretty chill. We’ve got buses, rail, and taxis, or you can ride your bicycle.

    But everyone here obeys every single traffic rule. Like robots. 

    How’s the weather?

    The weather is harsh. When it’s cold it’s extremely cold and when it’s hot it’s extremely hot.

    What is it right now?

    I don’t know if the world is coming to an end. But it’s summer right now and it’s extremely hot. 

    Hang in there!

    Check back every Friday by 12pm noon for a brand new Abroad Life story. If you’ll like to share your own story, please fill out this form.

  • Nigerians are woke these days – at least that’s what you’d think if you stumbled onto, and got lost in social media.

    The truth is, a lot of us are not. We are naturally loud and extremely assertive, so when we talk it’s easy enough to believe we are authorities on the matter. However, even though a lot of us claim woke, we don’t deeply understand certain issues.

    Because the lines are so blurry, what does ‘woke’ mean, anyway?

    I love this Urban Dictionary definition of woke; “getting woke is like being in the Matrix and taking the red pill. You get a sudden understanding of what’s really going on and find out you were wrong about much of what you understood to be truth.” In simpler terms, it means to become aware of the problems in our society and the factors that contribute to them. You ‘wake’ up to the realization that some of our traditions, culture, societal structure and interactions are problematic.
    The impact of wokeness in Nigeria is however limited by ‘fake wokeness’. What is fake woke, you ask? Fake woke people are those who aren’t directly affected by or understand certain social issues, but still argue blindly in favour of the problem. They are the opposing voice, creating doubt and slowing down progress.

    Can wokeness be learned?

    Yes, it can. Ironically, when supposedly enlightened people tell ‘ignorant’ people to read a book, it’s actually not (just) an insult. You can actually find the answers to life in books. We’ve put together a reading list of African books which attack social issues to get you started.

    1. Female marginalisation: So Long A Letter – Mariama Bâ

    An inspiring story of feminine strength, So Long A Letter is written as a series of letters between Ramatoulaye and her best friend Aissatou, after Ramatoulaye’s estranged husband dies from a heart attack. While observing mirasse, (a forty-day period of isolation and mourning) Ramatoulaye keeps a diary which she sends her friend. This book explores a woman’s place in developing West African society. Ba wants this novel to encourage women take responsibility for their lives. The letter format pulls you in, making the book feel extremely personal.

    2. Government incompetence: The Trouble With Nigeria – Chinua Achebe

    This is a great book for Nigerians, but the problems therein apply to a lot of African countries. The Trouble With Nigeria takes a look at Nigeria’s major problem which according to Achebe is leadership–or the lack of it. Leadership is used as the launching pad to dissect many Nigerian problems: tribalism, lack of patriotism, social injustice, the cult of mediocrity, indiscipline and corruption.

    3. Social disintegration: Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe

    Rich in cultural history, Things Fall Apart tells a captivating story of a traditional Igbo man who, though living in a rapidly changing Africa, refuses to accept British imperialists and missionaries. Achebe describes the daily life of the Igbo by telling the story Okonkwo and passes on key points about the Igbo culture. This book details how the way of life of the British crept into traditional Igbo society, and exposes the corruption and oppression that was perpetuated.

    4. Sexual harassment/rape: Rape: A South African Nightmare – Pumla Dineo Gqola

    Using examples from the past and present, Rape: A South African Nightmare takes on various aspects of rape culture in South Africa. It does so by focusing on the patterns and trends of rape culture and asking what can be learned from famous cases. This book analyses the fact that public responses to rape are characterised by doubt. It also asks penetrating questions about female fear factor, boy rape, the rape of black lesbians and more.

    5. Mental health: Freshwater – Akwaeke Emezi

    Freshwater is Akwaeke Emezi’s daring debut novel that was shortlisted for The Center For Fiction First Novel Prize, 2018. This book paints a profound picture of what it’s like to mentally be between worlds by exploring the life of Ada, a Nigerian girl who was a little “different” from other children. She was a challenging child for her parents, who were constantly concerned about her fractured existence. Throughout her life, Ada speaks through her various selves (which is framed within the Igbo tradition of ogbanje). Freshwater takes on challenging topics such as identity, mental illness, self-harm, sexual assault, suicide, and more.

    6. Yahoo-Yahoo: I Do Not Come To You By Chance – Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

    Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s debut novel, I Do Not Come To You By Chance won the 2010 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa and the 2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book in Africa. This is a very insightful contemporary African novel centered around a young man burdened with responsibility. It details the lengths he goes to provide for his family, which takes us into the world of email scams AKA Yahoo-Yahoo and into the lives of the people behind them.

    7. Gender roles and inequality – Male Daughters, Female Husbands: Gender and Sex In An African Society – Ify Amadiume

    Male Daughters, Female Husbands explores the imposition of Western life onto West African society. This book does a fantastic job of outlining the new gender reality created by the impression of European Christian values on a traditionally matrilineal Igbo society. Amadiume details a rich history of economic and social power that West African women held, and how they’ve have found themselves disadvantaged compared to their male counterparts since the early 1900s. This is a must-read for every woman.

    8. Abuse and domestic violence: Purple Hibiscus – Chimamanda Adichie

    Longlisted by the Booker Prize in 2004, and shortlisted for the Orange Prize For Fiction that same year, Purple Hibiscus has garnered a lot of acclaim. This is a captivating book that handles abuse in a most delicate way. This book is focused on Kambili and her family, and what they endure for the sake of religion and family values. It shows the disintegration of her family unit and the unimaginable effects of abuse.

    If you’ve read any of these books, what do you think about them? Which other books would you recommend?

  • 1. Crash Course

    This channel teaches you biology, chemistry, physics, economics, philosophy and world history. Get to learning!

    2. How to adult

    This channel focuses on getting you to function like an adult; everything from how to pack for a holiday to how to quit your job is somewhere here!

    3. Khan Academy

    This is your cheat sheet to anything educational, with the most complex ideas broken down … and broken down again, to help you have an easier learning experience!

    4. Sexplanations

    This is your guide to sexuality and sexual health. It talks about all those things your mother refused to while giving you that vague and awkward sex talk. It also covers sexual hygiene, consent and a myriad of connected topics.

    5. NigeriaCuisine

    This is your guide to being a pro in the kitchen! So if your aunties are always acting like they alone have the secrets to wonderful tasting food, come here to burst their bubble!

    6. Clean my space

    On this channel, you learn to clean any and everything from top to bottom. There’s a method to the madness!

    7. AndyAX

    If you are a camera and filmmaking lover, this channel will teach you all the hacks you need to know!

  • 1. When you realise it’s almost the end of term.

    2. Then you remember you have exams!

    3. And student assessments…

    4. Now you remember all the times you played instead of listening in class.

    5. And how you spent the whole term looking for all your teachers’ trouble.

    6. You and your gang of troublemakers are like:

    7. Now you have 2 weeks to cram all the notes for all your subjects before you end up disgraced.

    8. Meanwhile all the efikos in school are like:

    9. And you are following them around and begging them to help you like:

    10. Now the school also wants to start doing end of term shows and concerts.

    11. And they want you to get involved as if you are not going through personal things.

    12. The closer to the end of term, the more desperate you are.

    13. Then end of term comes and you almost die of stress and fear but you survived.

    14. Then it dawns on you that because of stress, you’e forgotten the most important thing about the end of term; HOLIDAYS!

    15. And now you’re like:

  • 1. When you wash and hang your uniform outside and come back to meet just peg.

    2. When you check your provisions after visiting day and see everything has reduced by half.

    3. When your notes would get “missing” 5 days to exams.

    4. When your best friend whose job it was to send messages to your bae stole him from you.

    5. When you couldn’t find your maths set the morning of your maths exam.

    6. When someone from your hostel copies your assignment and submits it before you.

    7. When you turn your head for 3 seconds in the dining hall and your meat disappears.

    8. When someone moves your favourite underwear and you don’t know whether to cry or be disgusted.

    9. When you forget you pencil case in class and come back to meet only the case.

    10. When you wake up to have your bath and can’t find your bucket you suffered to fetch the night before.

  • 1. When you have to run against your best friend for class captain position.

    2. When you and your best friend like the same boy.

    3. When you have to write the list of noisemakers and your crush is making noise.

    4. When you have to choose who will follow you around school to give out cake and drinks on your birthday.

    5. When you can’t invite everyone to your birthday party but you still have to go to school on Monday.

    6. When your teacher asks you to snitch on your classmates and they just started liking you again.

    7. When you like your class teaching assistant more than your class teacher and it’s teachers appreciation day.

    8. When you have to choose who will be on your team during PE but your best friend cannot play football.

    9. When you have to vote for teacher of the year but you don’t want your class teacher to win.

  • 1. How he used to dress every single day.

    Does this one think the profession is a joke?

    2. When he insists all the students call him one useless nickname like his normal name is not funny enough.

    Baba leave this thing alone!

    3. How he strolls around the school.

    Are you the landlord sir?

    4. When he tries to add “efizzy” to his teaching style by adding rap and dance steps to his classes.

    Who asked you oh?

    5. When he tries to enter students gist by force by fire.

    Sir, your mates are in the staff room.

    6. When he uses all the information he has gathered by being the friendly teacher, against students.

    Judas is that you?

    7. When he cracks one of his dry jokes and expects the class to start laughing.

    You are not a comedian sir, face mathematics.

    8. When his fellow teachers see him coming, they’re like:

    Please he should go and look for someone else to disturb.

    9. When he finally stops pretending and shows his true colours.

    We said it!

    10. When after all his shenanigans he becomes the head of department, you’re like:

    This life is turn by turn sha!