Mary Nnah
A US-based Nigerian author, poet, and clinical nurse, Mrs. Maggie Offoha, has advised Nigerians who plan to relocate abroad due to economic hardship to conduct thorough research before making any decisions.
She explained that it is essential to equip oneself with the necessary information about the country of choice to avoid regrets and societal pressures.
Offoha, who has lived in the US for over 22 years, made this call during the official launch of her three books, “Return to Where I Belong,” “Dark Shadows on My Path,” and “Poetry for Thought” in Lagos. The books, she said, reflect her experiences abroad and highlight the expectations of any immigrant.
“The experiences gained abroad are the inspiration behind writing the books. They contain my experiences as an immigrant in the US and what those planning to leave should expect. There is a general situation those travelling abroad will face because it is a general principle of life,” she said.
Offoha urged Nigerians to revive the reading culture, especially among the youth, to stay informed about happenings worldwide, calling on the government to invest more in the youth, who are the future leaders of the country.
She cautioned that while reasons presented by youths for emigrating may seem appealing, there are underlying factors that must be considered before leaving the country of birth.
Offoha highlighted cultural differences, loss of identity, and unplanned and unexpected circumstances as some of the challenges that immigrants could face.
She advised those planning to relocate abroad to carry out thorough research of the country to which they are planning to go, to avoid regrets.
She explained that most times, there is a lot of loss when people relocate abroad, such as family, relationships, and properties. She added that children are also caught between two cultures, unsure of their identity.
“Some of us are at a crossroads; that is why I want to tell people planning to relocate abroad to do their research very well. It is not in my position to discourage those who want to leave due to the hostile economy.
“Some of our children are now caught in between two cultures, while some of them do not even know where they belong. Some of these experiences are what I wrote about in the book: ‘Return to Where I Belong’,” she said.
Offoha who regretted that Nigeria’s brain drain, especially in the health sector, is due to the ‘Japa’ syndrome, emphasised the need to preserve Nigeria’s heritage, traditions, and identity to avoid losing them forever.
The book reviewer, Mr. Bonny Amadi, who is the Founder of Newzmile Africa, recommended the book for academics and advised Nigerians willing to travel abroad to read the books to learn from the author’s experiences.
“Offoha’s experiences are good enough to learn from, and she is described as a great mentor,”he noted.
