This post is to provide some background to my life prior to making the big decision.
Can't say I was born with a silver spoon, in fact I was born into a struggling family to say the least. At some point towards the end of my secondary education, my parents really struggled
to provide for the family. I later found out that my father's business had suffered greatly at the time and he therefore had to fall back on his investments to get by. At the time, we lived in what could best be described as a shack. We had a kerosene lantern on, almost all day because electric supply was erratic and our only window and source of lighting was blocked by a new development. I was easily the poorest of my peers.
Not to dwell too much on those years, fast-forward five years, I was near the end of my four year degree course at the prestigious University of Lagos. My late father (God bless his soul) would toil all day, often he would borrow so I could complete the degree programme. The university was just an hour away by bus from home so it was possible to go home twice within a week to get some money sometimes during the period of an examination.
Yes, I didn't have it easy growing up, nevertheless I had a happy childhood. I went on to get a job in the insurance industry, changed job after about three years, and rose to become head of a branch of the an insurance organization I joined after just four years. I had a personal driver paid for by the company. My apartment was furnished by the company. I also enjoyed other perks and my lifestyle changed. At 32 years I then felt I was ready to take it to the next level. So I got married to a lovely lady.
At no time did the thought of moving to England cross my mind. I would often hear commentaries about graduates travelling to Europe to take up menial jobs usually reserved for the unskilled in their countries.
Four years after managing a branch of a top insurance company, I had changed jobs three times. My justification each time I changed job was that I deserved more than what my employers offered. I became disillusioned with the profession. I had qualified as a Chartered Insurance professional.
I went on to study for an MBA. Towards the end of 2005, the financial industry was showing signs of distress; the insurance arm was forced by the regulators to embark on consolidation as well. Companies were directed to pull resources together to form stronger firms. This resulted in professionals jostling for positions in the bigger firms. I ended up with an intermediary firm which was controlled solely by an individual and after just a few weeks with the organization he reminded me that I was just another staff.
I had been employed as a senior manager and as a manager I thought I could request a colleague to bring up a certain client’s file for discussion. Unknown to me, the IT guys had set up the MS outlook to copy the boss in on all mails (internal or external). I got the shock of my life when I got a mail from the boss asking if I felt too big to go fetch a file myself.
A few months earlier, I a former colleague announced that he was moving with his entire family to Canada and I guess that was when I started to nurse the idea of moving abroad. With no job satisfaction the decision to follow in the footsteps of this colleague became easy. I commenced the application process to move to Canada. At the root of my frustration was the fact that I yearned for responsibility comparable to that I had as Head of a branch a few years earlier. Though I enjoyed a few perks with these other companies, I just wanted out.
Around this time, I learnt of a wonderful scheme by the British government inviting highly skilled individuals to come and work in UK without having to secure a job before getting on a plane. I thought to myself, this is just what I needed. Within a year I was ready to leave everything behind relocate.
Can't say I was born with a silver spoon, in fact I was born into a struggling family to say the least. At some point towards the end of my secondary education, my parents really struggled
to provide for the family. I later found out that my father's business had suffered greatly at the time and he therefore had to fall back on his investments to get by. At the time, we lived in what could best be described as a shack. We had a kerosene lantern on, almost all day because electric supply was erratic and our only window and source of lighting was blocked by a new development. I was easily the poorest of my peers.
Not to dwell too much on those years, fast-forward five years, I was near the end of my four year degree course at the prestigious University of Lagos. My late father (God bless his soul) would toil all day, often he would borrow so I could complete the degree programme. The university was just an hour away by bus from home so it was possible to go home twice within a week to get some money sometimes during the period of an examination.
Yes, I didn't have it easy growing up, nevertheless I had a happy childhood. I went on to get a job in the insurance industry, changed job after about three years, and rose to become head of a branch of the an insurance organization I joined after just four years. I had a personal driver paid for by the company. My apartment was furnished by the company. I also enjoyed other perks and my lifestyle changed. At 32 years I then felt I was ready to take it to the next level. So I got married to a lovely lady.
At no time did the thought of moving to England cross my mind. I would often hear commentaries about graduates travelling to Europe to take up menial jobs usually reserved for the unskilled in their countries.
Four years after managing a branch of a top insurance company, I had changed jobs three times. My justification each time I changed job was that I deserved more than what my employers offered. I became disillusioned with the profession. I had qualified as a Chartered Insurance professional.
I went on to study for an MBA. Towards the end of 2005, the financial industry was showing signs of distress; the insurance arm was forced by the regulators to embark on consolidation as well. Companies were directed to pull resources together to form stronger firms. This resulted in professionals jostling for positions in the bigger firms. I ended up with an intermediary firm which was controlled solely by an individual and after just a few weeks with the organization he reminded me that I was just another staff.
I had been employed as a senior manager and as a manager I thought I could request a colleague to bring up a certain client’s file for discussion. Unknown to me, the IT guys had set up the MS outlook to copy the boss in on all mails (internal or external). I got the shock of my life when I got a mail from the boss asking if I felt too big to go fetch a file myself.
A few months earlier, I a former colleague announced that he was moving with his entire family to Canada and I guess that was when I started to nurse the idea of moving abroad. With no job satisfaction the decision to follow in the footsteps of this colleague became easy. I commenced the application process to move to Canada. At the root of my frustration was the fact that I yearned for responsibility comparable to that I had as Head of a branch a few years earlier. Though I enjoyed a few perks with these other companies, I just wanted out.
