A Nigerian man, Francis Ushie, has recounted how he became separated from his wife and four children after sponsoring their relocation to Canada, alleging that his wife blocked him and refused to disclose their address when he eventually arrived in the country.
Ushie made the disclosure in a seated interview shared on YouTube by The Rest of Us, where he narrated the circumstances surrounding the breakdown of his marriage and his subsequent separation from his family.
According to him, he was married to a woman from Obulu Gunu in Delta State, but the relationship became strained following what he described as family-related issues and a disagreement involving alleged infidelity.
Ushie said he had hoped that moving to Canada would provide the family with a fresh start and help improve their relationship.
He explained that he resigned from his banking job after the family’s Canadian residency permits were approved, but his wife and their four children travelled ahead of him while his former employer conducted an audit of his position.
According to him, the audit lasted nearly a year, delaying his own journey to Canada.
“When the Canada residency permit came to live with my family, that’s the main reason I resigned from the banking job. When it came, they left before me, she left with our four children.
“I was still behind because the bank needed to audit my position. It took them almost one year to audit me. That was why I could not travel to Canada with my family,” he said.»
Ushie said that when he eventually travelled to Canada in November 2014, he was unable to reach his wife and children because, according to him, his wife had blocked him and refused to provide their address.
He said he arrived at Calgary International Airport, popularly known by its code YYC, but could not locate his family.
“I eventually went to Canada in 2014 November. I could not locate where my wife was staying with our children. I was stranded at the airport, YYC airport in Canada,” he said.
Ushie said he eventually returned to Nigeria after failing to establish contact with his family, adding that he had a return ticket and had no way of locating them.
He said he had continued to seek reconciliation since 2016 but claimed that his wife had remained unwilling to reconcile.
“Since 2016 till now, I tried for us to reconcile, but she is not ready to reconcile. I am not forcing her,” he said.
He further alleged that his wife had prevented their children from communicating with him.
“Apart from being a refugee, I have no companion for now. She has also stopped the children from communicating with me.”
Ushie said he was considering contacting the Canadian authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding his separation from his family, although he maintained that his priority was to restore contact with his children.
“I am considering maybe writing to the Canadian authority to let them know what happened. I am still ready to reconcile with my wife,” he said.
“My issue is that she should allow my children to talk to me. With that I will be okay. I want to let them know I am not an irresponsible father.”
The Nigerian also defended his role in providing for his family, saying he was responsible for sponsoring the relocation of his wife and four children to Canada and had continued to provide financial support.
“I was responsible for sending five of them to Canada, they should check the cost,” he said.
“Their mother was a full housewife. Two-year rent I paid for rent there in Canada, so please, my children, I am a very responsible father.”
Ushie said he remained open to reconciliation with his wife but stressed that his immediate concern was to regain contact with his children and maintain a relationship with them.
