I am currently on Expedia looking for the cheapest one way flight back home. The picture of me packing my boxes is as clear as day, I haven’t started yet but I can literally see myself doing it. A few months ago, I came across a video of a young girl crying hysterically. There was no one way you could avoid it because it was literally everywhere. She was basically talking about her harsh reality; the loneliness, migration to this part of the world brings. The loss of family ties, friendships, support systems and community. This is something that you would not be able to fully comprehend until you yourself have lived in an individualistic world.

There were a lot comments of people saying they were introverts and loved being alone which I found dismissive as you have to remember being alone is different from being lonely. Being an introvert is not the same as being segregated away from society. Trust Nigerians to be insensitive, there is this “I do pass my neighbour” mentality that we all suffer from. You would tell somebody that you have a headache and they would tell you to be grateful because their own has passed headaches as it feels likes their head is being struck with a hammer or you would tell them that you are sick and they would tell you to thank God it was only sickness because in their case they almost died.

In all honesty, I don’t blame them and it is for this reason that for so long, I felt like I had no right to complain or feel the way I felt. This is the “opportunity” that everyone wants. You know the Japa culture, the dream of a better life. So, how dare me complain when they were thousands on the line that would love to switch position with me. With this medium, I would like to say a very Big Fuck You to the Nigerian government because if not for them, what will I be doing in a place where I will forever be treated as a foreigner and third class citizen, no matter my status. They have exposed us to such inhuman conditions that we consider anywhere that is not Nigeria to be better simply because it is not Nigeria. I don’t want to bore you with all the things that are wrong with this society that I have found myself in but I will say that I am coming back home soon before my spirit man dies.