Truth

Hello People,

Someone said you won’t hear from me until Friday and I decided to disappoint you…lol. Here I am on Thursday, what a record *standing ovation for me please..Hehehe! I am not serious I know.

How are you guys? Life here is still the same jare, no changes. Same thing happens day in day out, you jump on the train at the same time in the morning, you get to work at the same time everyday, everything is programmed to work at a certain time, no surprises at all. It is good and I commend this people for how efficiently their country operates but common this is too boring na, routine can be overwhelming and leaves you depressed after a while. No excitement, no new challenges, no surprises, omo I miss Lasgidi o. Can a day pass by without you witnessing something new? Two people must fight by the road side, two guys in suit must blow grammar after one hit’s the other’s car, conductor must fight passenger, agberos must beg for money…sigh! Something new and exciting happens daily. Eko ile, I miss you die.

Today I want to become an adviser, yes! a serious one o. I read a thread on Nairaland recently from a young guy with a job in Nigeria seeking to sell his car and use the proceeds plus his little savings to come to the UK for a masters degree. He plans to do some menial jobs to support himself.

The UK is a good place to study as long as you go to a good university and meet the right people; it helps your confidence, improves your career chances and exposes you to things you will never see in Nigeria even if you work for a multinational, HOWEVER, here is my take and I will list in bullet point

• NEVER you come to the UK with no money with the hope of working here to raise your fees, feed and pay for accommodation, my brother or sister na pity I pity you o. When coming here, ensure you have all the cash you need to survive. Infact, plan your money on a month by month basis and ensure you don’t overshoot your budget. There is nothing like ‘esare ya mi ni 5K for here o’ (Please borrow me N5000). If you are lucky and you get a part-time job, that is a plus and you save the proceeds but please note that chances of getting such jobs now are really slim
• Have a plan B, don’t think the only way forward for you is to finish your Masters and stay put in the UK whether you are granted a visa or not. Na suffer part 2 you dey so. Infact they have changed the post study visa laws, so my dear people, as soon as you finish studying, find your way back to where you came from. Shuo! Why is that hard? Is that not the contract you signed with the embassy when you got your visa?? The only exception to that rule is finding a good company that is willing to employ you and sponsor your visa. No let me hear say you stayed back and joined the association of ‘spouses of obese/ugly oyibos’ all in the name of visa. What is the assurance that you will get the visa? and if you do, what guarantees your getting a good job after you have spent a few years trying to get the visa. You will explain to the employer the reasons for the gaps in your career o.. a word is enough for the wise
• Finally, when you get here, I beg you do not join the ‘popping champagne, longest Brazilian hair, attending all parties, buying the latest car’ crew. Ofcouse, this does not apply to you if you are Dangote or Adenuga’s child or if your father is a politician. This applies to you if you had to use your savings with help from your folks to come here, think of your future. Save the little you have, it will come in handy when you have to go back home.

Now to those of you that want to come in here with a visit visa and disappear into thin air, I don’t even have words for you. Gone are the days when people here didn't want to do some jobs and left it to illegal immigrants, the new Government is changing things and living on benefits is no longer attractive. Therefore, people are willing to accept any kind of job plus the influx of European Union citizens.
I went to Heathrow airport in February and one Naija guy with one dead suitcase and flimsy cardigan asked me in the thickest Yoruba accent,’ please I am going to Elephant & Castle’. I looked at him and shook my head; because obviously he has come here to hustle. I wanted to tell him that he should not dare step out into the cold with that flimsy cardigan, for crying out loud it was -2 degrees outside. I almost advised him to go back and beg the immigration guys to send him back home. What has he come here to do for real?
If only our leaders will stop stealing our money, Naija would have been a country to envy. I mean we have natural resources, good weather, friendly people, we know how to have fun etc. What will you want to come and do in freezing temperatures and amongst racist people…tscheewww!!

Enough of the rant sef, who send me message abi?..lol, it’s not my fault now, I am just tired of hearing that some of my Naija brothers and sisters still believe that you can pick gold on the streets of UK. It has never and will never be …GBAM. I remember how I used to fantasise in Nigeria about entering the UK and changing my life. The day I left ehnn, people no hear word o, it was as if I got a ticket to heaven. I boasted and kept saying I will have nothing to do with Naija anymore, look at me now *sobs*. I have tasted the other side and come to that painful conclusion, the grass looks greener on the other side. I will soon write about how I started here (my humble beginnings..Lol), all I went through to reach this level. Baba God na you o!


Hey people, forgive me o, he be like say this posts go be on a weekly basis. I over anticipated when I promised it will be on a daily basis, omo where I wan see the gist from, for this dry UK?? Lol. Hope you understand. *hugs*. That way sef, I will gather enough gists to write a lengthy piece. Thank you all for reading and leaving comments.

Have a nice weekend. We are blowing from hot to cold again this weekend, me ke! I am ever ready, the weather man is my best friend.

Love XX