Staying Back

In my country, many people dream of relocating. The truth is, most simply don’t have the funds. If the money was available, we would be counting heads leaving. Things may not always go as we want here, but that doesn’t mean we don’t see the great potential home carries.

The truth is, every country has it’s challenges and that’s part of what makes them unique. I love my country, even though I know there’s still so much work to be done.

Relocating permanently is not as easy as it sounds. It would mean leaving family and friends, adapting to new environments and cultures, and trying to build a new life from scratch.
And as a business owner, that would mean starting over entirely.

For me, leaving permanently would be a loss. There’s a reason why people say, “there’s no place like home.” I can’t even begin to imagine giving that up. I would much rather use the money to invest, grow more wealth and make myself comfortable here. That way I could travel anywhere I want for vacations and still return afterward.

Another reason is the value of my existing network. Relocating might open new opportunities, but I believe staying back will help me expand the strong connections I’ve already built, and in a shorter time than it would take to restart abroad.

I’ve seen examples that confirms this. I know someone who had a thriving business here. He chose to relocate permanently, closed his business to start over in a new country. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out. After years abroad, he returned and had to begin again from scratch, this time without his old networks. He’s doing well now, but imagine how much further he could’ve gone if hadn’t left when he did.
Sometimes, timing is everything and right now, I know the timing isn’t right for me.

If i were going to consider relocating, my main reason will be security. Everyone deserves to feel safe at home, and this is one area my country still struggles with. But even then, relocating will raise the concern of leaving my family and friends behind. What’s the point of living in safety if you’re constantly worried about the people you love?

And honestly, would “a huge sum of money” really be enough to relocate my whole family comfortably?
(I guess this is me being Nigerian, answering a question with another question.)

Although I haven’t traveled abroad yet, I’ve always loved learning about other countries. I admire the beauties the world has to offer, and I would definitely want to travel, explore and try new things. But when the fun is over, I know I’d want to go back home.

So, if you gave me a lot if money, I wouldn’t relocate. I would use the money to invest in myself, my business and my country, because no matter what, there really is no place like home.