Old woman seen weeping in UK, and three other japa stories that trended in 2024
A lot of Nigerians are looking for ways to relocate abroad, where they hope to make it and lie on greener pastures.
Many are looking for ways to get visas and other documents that would enable them to live in countries such as Canada, the USA, and the UK.
The Nigerians who live abroad share their experiences. Photo credit: TikTok/@rollybear.london, @raks_eseku and @n.somto_.Source: TikTok
Number of Nigerians who moved to the UK in 2022
Available information shows that 141,000 Nigerians relocated to the UK in 2022.
According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics:
“In the year ending June 2023, the top five non-EU nationalities for immigration flows into the UK were: Indian (253,000), Nigerian (141,000), Chinese (89,000), Pakistani (55,000) and Ukrainian (35,000).”
Immigrants highlight challenges of japa
However, some who already live abroad send messages back home lamenting some things they don’t like abroad.
Some of them complain about the high cost of living abroad and the unending bills they always have to pay abroad where they live.
Others say they pay a lot of tax, which ends up frittering their savings and income.
While some say they will still move abroad despite the highlighted challenges, some people may have reconsidered their ‘japa’ plans due to what they have heard.
Some stories from abroad are worth highlighting due to how viral they went and how they projected the challenges of living abroad.
Fox Nigeria presents three japa stories that went viral and caught the attention of social media users.
1. Woman spotted crying and begging for food in UK
A woman who is from Nigeria was seen in the streets of the UK where she was weeping and begging for food.
The woman relocated to the UK, where she went to do Omugwo for her sister’s daughter.
What was supposed to be for only a few months ended up lasting for 10 years.
Interestingly, her niece left her empty-handed after she helped nurse her children.
The story was shared by Rollybear London, who said he saw the woman where she was crying.
He said:
“She was crying when I was passing by KFC in Peckham. She was begging, and bought her food. She doesn’t even have a phone.”
Her story attracted the attention of Nigerians who wondered why her niece treated her badly.
Watch the video below:
2. Nigerian man complains of loneliness in UK
There is also the story of a Nigerian man who relocated to the UK to study.
The man said he liked it in the UK, but he was feeling lonely and missing his family members.
According to N. Somto, the person he misses the most is his twin brother, who was in Nigeria.
He said while sharing his experience:
“I’ll say it’s not been easy. Having to move here at all alone at 22 without family really suc.ks. The international student job market is really hard. I have to work very hard on my shifts to make money to pay my bilis and sustain myself. It’s also very lonely and gets depressing at times, especially at night. I have no friends because I find it hard to trust people here so I am often alone, or at the gym (my happy place indeed). I really miss my family especially especially my twin brother (whom I’ve never been physically separated from all my life) and mum. School pressure is also beginning to take a toll on my mental health too and the thought of having to spend holidays and birthdays alone without family really makes me feel sad. I feel hurt that I cannot go and see them when I want. I wish things were different.”
Watch the video below:
3. UK-based lady laments the scarcity of men
Also, one of the abroad stories that made the rounds online was the one shared by a lady who lives in the UK.
One of the things she complained about was the scarcity of men. She said since she got to the UK, no man had asked her out.
Raks Eseku advised ladies relocating to the UK to keep their men instead of discarding them.
She said finding a man in the UK might be difficult.
Watch the video below:
However, despite the challenges highlighted by those who have moved abroad, people have also shared success stories.
For instance, a man who moved to the UK in 2021 shared that he has bought a car and a house.
Man reacts after birds perched on him abroad
Meanwhile, a Nigerian man who lives abroad says when he was in Nigeria, birds used to fly away from him when he approached.
However, when he moved abroad, birds, such as pigeons, flew close to him and even perched on his body in the streets.
He made a video showing when some of the birds happily perched on his body, and he wondered why.
Source: Fox Nigeria
