JAPA NATION: THE GREAT NIGERIAN EXODUS (part 3)
The Emotional Toll on Families
The effect of the 'Great Exodus' is profoundly felt in the fabric of Nigerian families. The dynamics of family relationships undergo significant transformation during and after emigration.
Initial separations can be heart-wrenching. Families often navigate the complexities of long-distance relationships, battling time zones and the longing to be together. Once reunited, the adaptation phase in a new cultural setting begins. From understanding new educational systems for kids to integrating into diverse neighborhoods, every step is a learning curve.
Interestingly, the cultural transition often sees children adapting faster, becoming cultural ambassadors for the family. This role reversal, while empowering for children, requires adjustment from the elders. Finding the right balance is key.
Because children lead without the requisite maturity and experience, one may find over-confident children, with hesitant parents second-guessing their own decisions. Where the children are adolescents, who are typically prone to opportunistic behaviour, they may pounce on the leadership vacuum with sometimes disastrous consequences. On the other hand, some parents may respond with a heavy-handed attitude, making ill-informed decisions to retain authority in a manner that is no longer applicable nor sustainable in the new society, resulting in rebellion and crisis for the family.
In this journey, families often discover reservoirs of resilience they never knew they had.
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