6. Be prepared to do some blue collar work, it will give you some perspective.
I was shocked to find that even ‘spoiled’ British students worked. Coming from Nigeria where parents demanded that children not be ‘distracted’ from school by work but concentrate FULLY on their education. I was genuinely amazed to find that there were few students who didn’t work and it typically was not glamorous work! Imagine my shock then when on my first day at work as a customer service assistant, I was asked to put size tags on clothes. There was a park near the store and during my lunch I went to cry my eyes out.
A whole me! Best graduating student in my class, Ex Ernst & young staff doing such a menial task! I was ashamed & pained. Thankfully, a Nigerian classmate (the daughter of an Ambassador) saw me and talked some sense into my head! What was the big deal about tagging clothes? She was cleaning shit off bums in old people’s homes! The most important thing was to be able to work honestly rather than stealing or prostituting! Hmm!
I returned to work shoulders high and proud to be able to provide for my needs, without relying on others! I later did even more menial roles- factory work, cleaner...With time I got the ‘white collar’ roles that we all love but not before learning that human beings are worthy of love and respect irrespective of how menial their jobs are.
7. Ensure you make the effort to work in the area of your degree (or what you intend to do eventually)
This may sound like a contradiction of 6, but it really isn’t. Often, the odd jobs were useful during school sessions as they allowed for greater flexibility but - you are building capacity with every role, so make sure that the work you do is increasing your capacity for the work you REALLY want to do. As a recruiter, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve interviewed people who have studied abroad but did not build any experience there! Sometimes people get distracted by the need to keep body and soul together TODAY that they forget that the greatest need is for creating a desirable FUTURE!
And I’m not saying its easy cause it’s sometimes VERY HARD! And you have to keep completing those thick application forms, often without even receiving the courtesy of an acknowledgement. Please keep at it and even if you can only get in by volunteering, VOLUNTEER! It will open other paid opportunities if you use it well. Volunteering with Mentoring Young people provided not just paid a position for me, it also gave me insight into most of the things I am involved with today.
8. Seek counsel from knowledgeable people, Government websites and people who have actually achieved your aspirations
I know people who are currently wasting away as illegal immigrants for simple reasons like taking counsel from people with limited/ outdated information/ refusal to pay professional charges. Rules abroad are constantly changing and what worked for your brother/uncle/friend, etc. May not work for YOU! Simple example, in 2003 most UK universities allowed Nigerians commence studies by paying a third of their fees and paying the rest installmentally. Unfortunately, most abused this privilege, so when in 2012 I encouraged a friend to undertake UK studies it was on the assumption that this option still existed.
Unfortunately, we had gone far (admission achieved) and were commencing Visa processing when I learned of the new laws that necessitated FULL payment before visas could be issued! That someone has been in the UK for decades or is a citizen... is not sufficient to make them your primary source of information. Often, I see Nigerian students seeking information from blue collar workers when their aspiration is in a very specialized field! That’s ok if they are just one of the sources of your information, but when they are your major source? That’s crazy! You may need to pay for the services of a solicitor-please pay.
One more story is apt here-a friend who had been a teacher in Nigeria had been working for years as a cleaner in a school in the UK before she summoned up courage to apply for the role of a teacher. Why? She’d been told by Nigerian friends that she’d never be employed as a teacher because of her Nigerian accent. Guess the first question her interviewers asked her? What took you so long? Why are you just applying, we had no idea you were a teacher!!
9. Be very clear about your goal(s)
It’s not unusual to have parents, friends and indeed everyone want to tell you what to do. But only you really know what’s best for you and in the end, you will live eternally with the consequences of your decision. So listen to advice, but in the end ENSURE YOUR DECISIONS SATISFY YOU WITHOUT HURTING OTHERS. Often most people don’t want to return after their studies. Some want to stay back and gain some quality experience, others simply never want to return (Nigeria is too tough!) and that’s fine but clarifying your goals early enables you maximise your possibilities.
I was one of those people who dilly dallied on this decision- one day I wanted to return immediately, the next I wanted to stay back and get some experience...eventually, I chose to return (encouraged by marriage prospects, which did not eventually pan out) needless to say, there were some bumpy jobless periods! Some of the pains would have been avoided or ameliorated had a made my decision early and commenced adequate preparations. My brother on the other hand decided with his fiancé prior to even coming to the UK that they liked living in the UK. As a result, they were able to position themselves avail themselves to complete their citizenship process legally and swiftly. Don’t just swing with the decision of the crowd! All but me in my class with 5 Nigerians returned. In the end, that was the best decision for me!
10. Be a good ambassador
You are the only Nigerian some people will ever meet and you will colour their perspectives forever! Try to do the best to leave a good testimony as much as lies in your power. Many Nigerians think it’s smart to max out their credit cards, thrash their rented houses when leaving the UK. Some fail to keep to signed agreements, leave huge debts behind because they think, they are outside the reach of the law. Unfortunately, this shuts the door for others. Help keep doors of opportunities open, think of yourself as an ambassador. Act like every action and inaction of yours counts towards the advantage/ disadvantage of other Nigerians.
Seek to understand the cultures around you, you don’t have to agree but you can’t afford to be ignorant or disdainful. Once, working on a night shift, I reached out for pastry that was going to be trashed. You won’t believe the trouble that got me into! I had to face a disciplinary committee, etc. It was shameful and stressful period for me as I kept thinking, so if I got sacked, it would be on account of a pie, due for the thrash? To them it was a serious integrity matter. Thankfully, I wasn’t sacked but I learned the hard way to respect rules, even when they didn’t make sense to me!
As part of your ambassadorial role, you owe Nigeria a duty to improve her- yes; you may have paid your own fees, received no support whatsoever and like most Nigerians feel no sense of duty to Nigeria but are you really as ‘self-made’ as you think? Consciously or unconsciously, your world view, character and capacity have benefited from being Nigerian- my Ghanaian friends are particularly impressed with our boldness- to me it’s just the way I am. But think about it, is it not the constant need to defend ourselves lest we are taken advantage of (or chanced as we Lagosians would say) that ensures that in general the average Nigerian is more in your face than the average African? If that doesn’t move you, this should- persons who are concerned for persons & causes beyond themselves are statistically more likely to succeed. So as they say, it’s in your own interests to think Nigeria as you study. Beyond having the best grades, seek for applications of your studies, ask questions, and think through possibilities!
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