The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.
This week’s Abroad Life subject moved to Benin Republic in 2020 on the advice of her mother’s acquaintance. She shares with us the circumstances that led to her relocation, living in Cotonou, Benin’s largest city, and the xenophobia that exists towards Nigerians from the locals there.
How was life for you before moving to Benin?
It was horrible. I was depressed about how my life was going, with school and Nigerians.
Before 2020, I attended Covenant University (CU). I loved my circle of friends and coursemates, but I hated the rules and regulations of the school. It was something I just couldn’t cope with. Their hypocrisy with religion, inability to have your gadgets, all of it. It was a school that I knew I just didn’t fit in. It also didn’t help that I was studying Computer Engineering instead of Mass Communication because that was the only course I could get.
Then on the subject of Nigerians. I am more of an introvert, and I’m fine with staying indoors as long as I have food and water. But when I step out, some men catcall and make me uncomfortable. There’s the traffic that one can spend hours in. There is the ever-rising cost of essential commodities like food. It’s a nightmare. The only thing that seems to give one pleasure is the joy that comes from jaiye jaiye or enjoyment.
Was that why you moved to Benin?
It was an incident in CU. I planned to change courses from Computer Engineering to Mass Communication at CU — until the day my father had a heart attack.
That day, I was holding my school tablet and stood at the T-junction in my school, waiting for my best friend (a guy) to return from mid-week service. Once I saw him, I started to weep profusely over my dad’s ill health. He was comforting me, reassuring me that all would be fine.
Then, all of a sudden, there was this female lecturer that came out of the corners and seized my tablet. She then told us to follow her to her office. In CU, you don’t question such orders; you just obey. And so we followed her, with tears and mucus running down my nose.
When we got to the office, she accused me of pairing with my best friend. She then asked us to fill out an offence form (which always leads to suspension or expulsion) despite all our pleas. At first, I looked at myself through her window with my tears, and then I looked at my best friend with his shirt made wet from my tears.
Before I knew it, I exploded in anger. I insulted her, the school, the authorities and anyone else I could think of. I was already stressed due to my semester results, and her wanting me to fill out the offence form unjustly was the tip of the iceberg. After leaving her office, I knew I could no longer stay at CU. If I did, they’d have given me a severe penalty, like an indefinite suspension for my outburst at her office. I then discussed alternative schools with my family, and an acquaintance of my mum suggested a university in Benin that was not as expensive. I agreed, and I moved to Cotonou, Benin Republic, in 2020 and started university all over in a different program.
So sorry that this happened to you. What were the processes of your migration to Benin?
Migrating there was relatively easy. I travelled by road instead of air because the flight tickets are expensive. I experienced countless stops by immigration officials on Badagry/Seme road, and we also had to tip these officials and have them check my luggage. Asides from that, it was almost stress-free. All I needed were receipts, a passport and a means of identification (a national or work ID card), and I was good to go.
Badagry-Seme border
Did you experience any culture shocks?
So it was two things for me — their coins and their culture.
Let me start by explaining Benin’s currency. Their coins are from 1 to 500 francs and have 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10,000 CFA banknotes. I can change 2000 CFA to coins and accumulate as many coins as I like.
Another thing that shocked me is how they love preserving their pre-colonial past. Unlike Nigeria, which has most of its artworks in Britain, many pre-historic artworks are still intact and displayed. They are also quiet and seem largely content with a quiet life, unlike Nigeria, which is full of ‘hustle and bustle.’
Artworks from Benin Republic
Are there any advantages to living in Benin?
They have good power supply, except recently they started interrupting it for short periods. Even then, it’s never longer than 30 minutes. They always, always have power. They have a prepaid meter to buy the power units you need for that month. So as long as you have money, you’d have electricity.
The roads are clean, with hardly any traffic. Transport is relatively cheaper. Their primary means of transportation are motorbikes. To go on a 13km journey, for instance, you can pay as low as the equivalent of N300 in Benin. Meanwhile, for that kind of distance in Nigeria, you could probably pay N2000.
Bike transportation in Cotonou
What about the disadvantages?
It’s the xenophobia towards Nigerians by the locals. Their hatred towards Nigerians is so palpable. Prices are automatically higher for you as a Nigerian if you don’t know how to speak French or the local language (Fon/Aja). If you’re a nightlife person who likes partying in clubs, having your passport with you is best. If not, the police can lock you in jail for whatever reason for the night. Nigerians don’t even make things better with Yahoo boys flocking to Benin and giving us a bad reputation.
Wow! Have you ever had a xenophobia experience before?
Yes, I was once accused of duping a hairstylist.
What?! How did that happen?
I was supposed to come to Nigeria to see my boyfriend. He had sent me money in Naira for the expenses and all. Since I hadn’t seen him in a while, I wanted to look good and decided to get a new hairdo. I exchanged the money for francs and decided first to buy hair extensions.
The hairdresser that owns the salon is one that I’ve patronised for years. When I got to the saloon, I noticed she had bought new hair extensions. Excited, I went inside the corner to look through her extensions and bought one for 5,000 CFA. She gave me 1,500 CFA change and went home.
I was eating when all of a sudden, there was a loud banging on my door. It was the hairdresser. I was shocked to see her because she had never been to my house. She demanded that I return her extensions and 1,500 CFA to her while bluntly refusing to explain why. The first thought in my head was that the Bureau de Change gave me fake money. I was scared, so I gave her the money and extensions without much fuss but decided to follow her to her shop a few minutes later and get an explanation.
When I arrived, she was gossiping about me with her neighbours in the Afo dialect (their native language, which sounds similar to Nigerian Yoruba). I caught the words “Nigerian ole” (meaning thief). To defend myself, I told her I didn’t steal anything, and she said I should bring proof.
To vindicate myself, I brought my Bureau de Change receipts, called my Head of Student Affairs and one other lecturer, and even a delegae (an interpreter) to explain things to the lady, but she didn’t listen. She never returned my money and embarrassed me in front of the street. It was humiliating.
Sorry, you had to go through this. Did you try reporting the case to the police?
LOL. The Benin police is one of the biggest enablers of xenophobia. They don’t even want to hear what you want to say as a Nigerian, even if you have strong evidence to back it up. You’d enter jail in the end. The Nigerian Embassy is useless; most just do parties there. I’m just grateful to God that it didn’t escalate to that level of the police being involved.
Sorry for that terrible experience. Would you ever leave Benin?
I only want to stay here for 5-6 years and make enough money to japa. But stay here for the rest of my life? No way.
Xenophobia excluded; it’s not a bad country. The air smells nice; enough Nigerians are here to make you feel at home. But it’s not a place you want to stay long term.
What country would you like to reside in next?
Due to my stay in Benin, I’d love to stay in a French-speaking country, maybe the French parts of Canada or France. French is a beautiful language, and I would love to speak it every second.
