Dear Folks,
Back by popular demand is the continuation of our “Back To Africa Series” which narrates the journey of Young African Professionals who have moved back home. Fittingly, our first story this year comes from the Republic of Nigeria, which boasts one of the largest percentages of young African professionals who have moved back.
In this light, Efe Adefulu’s story of being a new Mum, a Wife, a Young African Professional and making the move with her entire family from the United States back to Nigeria, will resonate with those of us in the Diaspora who are somewhat in the same position and are thinking of making the same move.
EFE ADEFULU -THEN
Efe and I as Young Professionals in Chicago during our early twenties
EFE ADEFULU -NOW
– Your background (country of origin, where you attended high school, undergrad,..etc)
EA: My country of origin is Nigeria, I attended high school at Queens College, in Lagos Nigeria, undergrad at Northern Illinois University where I studied Accounting, and MBA at DePaul University in Chicago.
– What inspired you to return to Africa?.
EA: I had three main inspirations for returning to Nigeria, firstly, I wanted to bring up my children in my home country, I truly cherished my upbringing and I desired a similar experience for my children to know where they are from. The truth is that Nigerians fit in anywhere in the world, so I am certain that they will adjust to wherever they choose to spend their adult lives. Secondly, my husband and I had gotten to a point in our individual careers where we knew that we needed to make a change to get to the next level, I wanted to move into a new industry from the corporate world to the Not-For-Profit sector which was a little tough to get into in America due to the market situations, and my husband, a Film Director wanted to tap into the growing Film and Television industry in Nigeria. Lastly, we have a mission statement as a family to influence and change lives and for a long time Nigeria has been the location that our hearts were strongly drawn to for this goal. There are many ways we plan to accomplish this mission, through our careers, our relationships with people etc. Essentially, this last inspiration was about pursing and fulfilling our life goals.
– What are you engaged in now that you have returned, ie working, running your own business,etc?
EA: At the moment, I work within the NFP industry with an organization called Junior Achievement Nigeria; it is under the umbrella of Junior Achievement Worldwide. This organization started in America and has operations in 119 countries and it is the leading educational platform that teaches students about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness. I am responsible for overseeing all the programs in Nigeria which is in 14 locations around the county as well as managing the operations of the organization. In addition, I am exploring a couple of entrepreneurial ideas that I have and hope to kickoff in 2014, with a potential to become a major business opportunity.
– What would you say is the best part of relocating and working in Africa so far?.
EA:
One thing I can say for sure is that I am very happy doing what I do as a career, it’s been a dream of mine and somehow I did not have this same happiness in America. To get to the point, I had to take a huge risk by moving with my family and it has been tough, no doubt but very rewarding.
– What would you say is the hardest part of relocating/working and living in Africa so far?.
EA:A couple of
challenges are not knowing how things function in Nigeria, it is often
unpredictable and easy tasks are never easy, things like opening a bank
account, getting a drivers license, getting around town etc. Another challenge
is the attitude to work is different from what I am used to, coming from
Corporate America, I had certain expectations that everyone was at work to do
their very best and exceed expectations and in my experience that is not the
case here. It makes it hard to get work done especially when managing a number
of individuals.
– Why would you recommend that other young African professionals think of coming back to Africa to work?.
EA: I would recommend that young African professionals come to Africa only if they actually have some sort of plan of what they want to do here. Is it to work here indefinitely, 1 year, 5 years? Is to be part of the growing economy in Africa? Open up a business? etc. Definitely don’t do it out of coercion from family and friends. Before we moved to Nigeria, we took a short vacation visit to “survey the land”. Asked tons of questions about what it’s like to work here, saw properties for rent/buy with a real estate agent, asked about schools for the kids etc. Our questions were asked to people like us who recently relocated as well as seasoned local residents.
– What industries do you think are looking the most promising/have the potential to recruit heavily?
EA: Agricultural
industry, renewable energy all come to mind, there is a need to make great use
of our local resources and these industries would help create and maintain what
the country has.
– What would be your advice in terms of how someone can successfully find a job in Africa?
EA: Spread the word by letting people know that this is an option you are considering. Basically, it is important to network. Jobs don’t get posted online, by the time you see it online, the position was probably filled 3 months ago, so it’s good to connect with people who are in industries you might like to work in. Also, make sure you get as much work experience as you can outside the country; it is valued here and would help build your work ethic.
MOTHERHOOD IN AFRICA
– As someone with American born children how has the transition moving back to Nigeria been for your kids?
EA: Kids transition easily, once they were settled into their daily routine, I was very happy. I made sure they were up to date on their immunization shots, including BCG for Tuberculosis which is not widely used in the United States and was not on their Immunization chart from America. They go to a school I am happy with, its summertime all year, so they get to play outside more and I made sure we live in a secure area here. Also, I had to make it a point to socialize with other moms and kids, so we have play dates lined up, they come in handy to allow the kids to play and just have fun somewhere outside of their home.
– Most parents thinking about relocating back have healthcare worries for their kids such as access to medication, hospitals, etc What would be your advice to them?
EA: Make sure to do a lot of preventative care – eating healthy, covering from mosquito bites, you really do not want to be sick here. Yes, there are a few good hospitals but I am a believer in prevention is better than cure. So I give my kids, multivitamins, probiotics, and omega 3 supplements, brush twice a day, wear long sleeved pajamas, cautious of eating outside, wash their hands multiple times a day (especially coming from outside), and they eat a well balanced diet. Luckily they will eat almost anything. I also got copies of their medical records from their American pediatrician and stocked up on a first aid kit, fever reducer, cold medicine, and thermometer. Upon all these things, I believed I survived Nigeria as a kid, so I am sure they will too!
– What are the benefits or negatives of raising your kids in Africa?.
EA: Benefits all the way! They get to learn their culture and language, they get to be closer to extended family – grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts, I believe they learn more respect for elders and discipline in Africa, just to name a few.
INFORMAL QUESTIONS
– What would I find you doing on weekends or on weekdays after you come home from work?
EA: Working out, cooking, playing with my kids, working on my computer.
– By relocating back to Africa as a young African professional, I hope to……..(fill out the blank)
EA: I hope to be part of the positive change taking place on the Continent.
– In five years I see myself………..(fill out the blank) EA: Being on CNN African Voices
– What is one ironic thing you have seen/noticed since you’ve been back that has inspired you and giving you hope about Africa’s progress?.
EA:
There are a lot of people doing creative and amazing things here, not the typical Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, or Accountant careers but I’ve met poets, designers, chefs, make-up artists, Light technicians, event planners, sommeliers etc. I guess they might have always been here but I feel people are “owning” those careers in their own right and building a brand for themselves. – What other African country/countries would you love to visit and why?.
EA: The Gambia, Kenya and Morocco! They all seem very different from Nigeria, I would love to see what life is like there.
Thank you J
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