Rats

Johnson Babalola

@jbdlaw/@jbandthings

My good friend Kunle Ojeleye, a thoughtful leader, wrote a short piece on his Facebook feed today:

_”You don’t know what is going on in Nigeria.”_
_”You cannot understand how difficult and challenging things are.”_
_”You need to ask those who are home to have a better understanding of the times.”_

_While those comments are coming from folks who “know Nigeria better” than I do, I wonder why God has not created an avenue for me to put my Nigerian ‘bukata’ (responsibilities) on their heads for them to carry._

Although short, it is very deep. For non-Yoruba speakers, “bukata” in the context of Kunle’s piece means responsibilities.

Despite having lived overseas for more than 30 years, Nigeria holds a special place in my heart and history. I have often said that, like many, I am forever grateful to Nigeria, my motherland, for laying the foundation for my academic and professional growth. Canada, of course, built on that foundation. So, I am thankful to Canada too, but this piece is about the perspectives of Nigerians living in Nigeria on those living overseas

Each time I visit Nigeria, my heart breaks. You see many young and not-so-young people roaming the streets hustling, unemployed, and underemployed. You meet family members hungry and angry. You talk to age mates or younger ones who look older than their ages. You see many living with all kinds of medical conditions. You relate with those who have given up hope. Yet, in the midst of this, there are those who live in affluence, wasting money on things that don’t add value to anyone. You see leaders waste taxpayers’ money on attending birthdays, funerals, and throwing parties to launch the construction of 1-kilometer roads rather than spending the money to update, upgrade, and equip public hospitals, schools and infrastructures. So much potential is wasted. One can truly understand the disillusionment of many Nigerians living in Nigeria; they seem to have lost hope.

Yet, many Nigerians living outside the country wish they were back home. They often face racism, abuse, high taxes, lack of immigration status, mental health issues, health challenges, culture shock, a sense of loss of connection, the need to retrain or abandon their professions, work in harsh conditions, live paycheck to paycheck, and more. They too seem to have lost hope and consider the possibility of returning to their home country.

Don’t get me wrong, there are many Nigerians in Nigeria and outside Nigeria doing well and happy in their respective locations. However, there seems to be a misconception among Nigerians living in Nigeria about Nigerians living abroad. “You are so lucky to be out of Nigeria,” they say.

The situation is more like the often-told folklore of the Bush Rat and the House Rat. The Bush Rat is always envious of the House Rat: “You have access to clean water, fast food, wine, certificates, currencies, air-conditioning, and can even nibble on the toes of the house owners for dessert. Sometimes you even live in their couches, fly in their luggage to different locations, and watch TV with them. You are so lucky,” it would tell the House Rat each time they had family meetings.

The House Rat, on the other hand, would remind its cousin, the Bush Rat, that it has access to “organic food, better freedom of movement, less policing, less risk to life, natural water, outdoor exercise, closer relationships with extended family, and many more.”

Sometimes, we don’t appreciate what we have, and the grass is always greener on the other side. Truth be told, sometimes it is. Many are happier living outside Nigeria and will never return home. I also know many who have returned to Nigeria, claiming that living “outside Nigeria” is not for them.

Zeroing in on the misconception that Nigerians living abroad don’t feel the “heat” about the situation in Nigeria, individuals with that mindset need a rethink. I once wrote a piece on the vicarious trauma Nigerians living abroad experience.

While acknowledging that Nigerians living outside the country mostly enjoy relative security, constant electricity, water and are removed from the physical impact of the negatives or positives of living in Nigeria, they are not shielded from the negative impacts of the economic and security issues in the country. They are not shielded from the impacts of professional incompetence, the dearth of trust, and the lack of integrity across the board. They or their family members living in Nigeria have been targeted for kidnapping, blackmail, extortion, and financial abuse. They have become victims of speculative financial success.

Although physically removed from Nigeria, many Nigerians who live overseas are very close to Nigeria in terms of geographical location (some live in neighboring countries), familial connections and responsibilities, cultural connections, financial responsibilities, psychological connections, and vicarious trauma links. Many, for several years, have been responsible for the upkeep of family members back home. They are called for school fees, medical bills, business setups, birthdays, and many more. Some, despite their own financial struggles in their various countries, would go into debt or seek long hours of work to assist their families back home. They often ask themselves, ‘when will this end?”.

Talk about mental health. Many Nigerians living overseas are daily exposed to negative news about the country. Because they have lived in environments where things, though imperfect, are better run, they are mentally concerned about the situation back home. They knowingly or unknowingly consume mostly negative news on social media. They answer every phone call from home with trepidation. “Oh, my sister is calling. Is she okay?” is the first thought that comes to mind when they receive calls from home. They also feel unappreciated as most calls are about needs rather than genuine love, care and support. Most family members and friends from back home only call when they have a need. They are also affected mentally by the inability to trust anyone to hold their interests at heart. All these and more affect them directly or vicariously.

In all, just like the Bush and House Rats story, we are all going through positive and negative thoughts and experiences about our dear Nigeria, whether we live in the country or not. The impacts of negative direct or indirect experiences are felt by everyone. As Kunle Ojeleye’s short piece illustrates, it’s easy to envy the perceived advantages of others without recognizing the unique challenges they face. Whether inside or outside Nigeria, the journey is complex and multifaceted, and empathy and understanding are crucial in bridging the gap between our diverse experiences.

Johnson Babalola, a Canada based lawyer, leadership consultant and corporate emcee, is a public affairs analyst. Follow him for discussions on real life issues that affect us all:
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#nigeria #perception