10 Things Nigerians Miss the Most When They Leave

One of the favorite past times of Nigerians in Nigeria is complaining about the country. And they, of course, have good reason to as corruption and mismanagement make Nigeria one of the poorest countries.

This notwithstanding, there is an endless list of amazing things which people who emigrate find themselves longing for.

Owambe Parties: Nigerians love to throw parties as they would look for any reason under the sun to gather people, buy ankara or lace aka aso-ebi and have an abundance of food, laughter, drinks, music and dancing. No weekend goes by without someone celebrating a wedding, birthday party, child naming, funeral or remembrance ceremony.
The fantastic scenery: There’s no shortage of places to explore in Nigeria and Nigerians love to travel, for commerce and fun. They also miss being in the midst of colourful crowds and the daily drama that occurs in even the quietest of places.
Eating street food: They definitely miss street food. From akara to roasted corn, ugba, suya, and even gala washed down with soft drinks. These are filling meals that can be grabbed on-the-go and are cheap.
Eating Nigerian food: Nigeria’s cultures produces various dishes. In other parts of the world, it is difficult to access the ingredients needed for these recipes, and even when you do, it is quite expensive so whenever Nigerians do get a hold of them, there’s always a celebration.
Community: Nigerians are warm, friendly and helpful and are always willing to go that extra mile to provide support. Someone is always willing to help which might be lacking in a country where people keep to themselves and just nod as you walk past.
Being able to communicate in Pidgin English or local dialect: Nigerians in the diaspora miss being able to communicate in their own dialects. They also miss speaking in Pidgin English as there’s no Nigerian who doesn’t speak or understand one dialect of Pidgin or another.
Great climate: Unlike other parts of the world, the seasons in Nigeria are two: the rainy season and the dry season. We also have little or no natural disasters as most disasters in Nigeria are man-made. Nigerians who live in colder climes miss the permanent presence of the sun in their lives.
Affordable housing: Aside from Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, most Nigerian cities have affordable housing, with an average number of the population owning their own homes.
Public Holidays: Nigeria has a thing for Public Holidays. There’s a holiday for Christmas, New Year, Democracy, Christians, Muslims etc. When you had all of these together which can sometimes be 2 days for a holiday, you find out that you have up to 10 free days unlike the Diaspora where Bank Holiday is the only Public holiday they usually have.