Don’t sell everything you have to Japa–Nigerian born British immigration lawyer Femi Aina warns
UK immigration lawyer Femi Aina has advised Nigerians who want to move abroad to look for greener places and not sell everything they own to fund their travel.
Aina, who gave the advice in an exclusive interview with our correspondent at the weekend, said many Nigerians looking for greener pastures do not realize that migration has its own challenges.
Some Nigerians are now living in poverty after moving abroad in search of a better life, an immigration lawyer said.
He said, “Don’t sell everything you have because you want to move. I would love to hide something from you because you may get there and realize that the picture painted is wrong. Just because it benefits some people doesn’t mean it will benefit everyone, and some people may just be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the problem will escalate from there.
“If you go to a prison in Britain, you will see a lot of Nigerians there. At first, his intention was to chant so that everything would turn out well, but the opposite happened. People should think about this. ‘Migration has its own problems; think twice before migrating.’
Immigration attorneys said relocation is not always easy, and immigrants may face obstacles for years before being able to settle.
He added, “My advice is to think twice before you start chanting. Ask yourself, “Would I be better off here or would I be better off there?”
“Also, people need to know that when you move to a new country, you have to deal with a lot of teething problems. It may take months, it may take years to establish. Our problem is that I have seen people uproot their entire families to travel.
“I saw people who had a supermarket in Idiroko, Ogun State. They sold the supermarket because they wanted to move to the UK. When they reached the entry point, the wife developed a serious problem, and the visas of the father, children, and wife were cancelled. So they brought them all back to Nigeria. Where do they start?
“I am not saying that people should not migrate, but migration also has its own problems. This is something that people should think about. Going abroad is not an end in itself; it can be a means to an end.
“People need to know that there is a lot of tension in the countries they are going to. This is not a country where you can get someone to come and pay your electricity bill, but every month you give them something to avoid paying the bill. There is financial stress. This financial stress can lead to arguments between spouses, which can lead to domestic violence.
