There’s something about home, when you get associated with the culture, it provides more balance for you. Even though I grew up in the UK as a British Citizen, there’s still something about your roots that will always be there. — Modupe.
In today’s global world, the African diaspora plays a crucial role in giving back to and supporting communities back home. Through investments and empowerment, members of the diaspora are not only helping their families but also contributing to the economic development of their countries. To elaborate on this topic, we sat down with an awesome Kaoshi Network customer to ask him about his experience with the African community in the diaspora. We heard the story of Modupe, a Nigerian who lived abroad and had a variety of experiences. He goes on to share his thoughts on the community and how they foster change for people back home.
Kaoshi Network: “Hi Modupe! So, when did you move from Nigeria and why?”
Modupe: “Okay. I left Nigeria when I was much younger in 1995. My father is British, and schooling beyond primary education was inevitable for me. I moved to the United Kingdom to basically continue school after my primaries in Nigeria, and I’ve lived here for nearly two decades. I basically grew up here.”
Kaoshi Network: “What do you currently do?”
Modupe: “I am a chartered marketer in the aviation industry, specializing in bidding for tenders to supply jet fuel to some of the world’s leading international airlines. I also work as a specialized digital marketing consultant.”
Kaoshi Network: “What were your early experiences in the UK like? Being soo young, how was it for you and how have you grown from there?
Modupe: “There were quite a few especially with me being very young. One of the first things was the weather. I was not used to the cold. Also, walking to school, a lot of anxiety builds up there. In my early years, the school I started out at was predominantly white. In fact, on my first day, there was only one other Nigerian child in the school and by the second day, he had left. The accent as well was another thing. Since they couldn’t pronounce my name well, my nickname for a while amusingly was “Modge.” It came because of not pronouncing Modupe properly.
Fast forward, and it got better, they began to pronounce my name better. Quite the lot. Growing up there, I lived predominantly in a white community, I grew up in Manchester East, an area predominantly inhabited by students. The community I was in made me focused on my studies, others were more liberal-minded. That was a common thing. I learnt how to divide my time, I was more organized. I socialized better and went out more. I made some of my best friends in the university too, playing sports like 5-a-side football and still getting involved and keeping in touch with people.
Staying there for so long, I automatically adapted to the environment and culture. I also developed my confidence and became bolder. I became more of a well-rounded person especially with the education system. One thing that always stood out for me and was an advantage with the educational system in the UK was that I could thrive creatively there. A lot of the primary schools in my time back in Nigeria didn’t really stimulate the creative mindset in children. It was more focused on cramming and academics. But I believe it has changed and progressed now.
Kaoshi Network: “Can you describe what the African community in the diaspora is like? What do you feel about it? How has it shaped you?”
Modupe: “As I grew up, gradually, my scene began to change. I reference as a joke sometimes that at one point, one of my aunties said to me, “It’s as if you woke up one day and discovered you were Nigerian.” This was post-university. I started getting more aware of Nigerian music. Ironically, it was non-nigerians that got me into the Nigerian space. I started hanging around spaces that were filled with more Nigerians and understanding the culture better. I started getting acquainted with big Nigerian celebrities. My experience has been gradual, also getting exposed to more Nigerian restaurants predominant in Manchester. It started becoming fun. There’s something about home, when you get associated with the culture, it provides more balance for you. Even though I grew up in the UK as a British, there’s still something about home that will always be there.”
Kaoshi Network: “Since you moved to the UK, how has Kaoshi Network helped you? What has the experience been like, especially with sending money home?”
Modupe: “Generally, if there are certain things I get paid for in foreign exchange or if I’m working on a project. I believe in empowering the average Nigerian back home so if I get a project, I could want to hire a Nigerian. I met Kaoshi through a business event and I was very intentional about going for that event. I’m happy I went because it streamlined a lot of things and business became advantageous.
The speed in which you can change pounds and have it in naira is very good, I love how efficient it is, how you can get paired up with somebody. There have been times where there are challenges with processing some of the transactions, but I must commend Obinna and the customer care team for how responsive they are. The comfort Kaoshi has given me, I wouldn’t want to leave. They are always available, and their responsiveness is one of the reasons I stay with Kaoshi. The fact that there is someone to always help and guide you through transactions always gives me full confidence to always use the service. I am anticipating using the service even more on a larger scale. I’ve never actually changed money before through the Nigerian banking system because I always had this perception that it was laborious, tedious and expensive. So when I learned about Kaoshi and its advantages, it was a no brainer. So it was favourable for me to want to hire people from back home on certain projects.”
Kaoshi Network: “Did you have friends or know other people who were doing something similar in sending money home and for what purpose?”
Modupe: “There’s always a Nigerian that needs to send money back home. In the past, the way to have done that would be through family. From my experience, there’s always someone in the network that needs to send money back home. Now, I mention Koashi to them as a platform they can use to achieve that purpose. They have a variety of purposes for sending money home that could be different to mine. Kaoshi has made life a lot easier because I recall people talking about how tedious sending money back home was but Kaoshi has simplified that now.”
Kaoshi Network: “What is your advice for an African who currently wants to be a part of the diaspora community, someone who is new to the scene?”
Modupe: “As a British-Nigerian, I had to adapt to both cultures from a young age. Based on my experiences in a predominantly white community and the Nigerian community, I recommend finding a balance in the English social space while also seeking out communities that empower and support people from similar backgrounds. That would ultimately help you adapt and settle down better in the diaspora. At the same time, you also want to experience other cultures. Be open minded to experiencing different cultures and people. Don’t just narrow yourself into a society that is just from your native country. Be open minded, network with people because it would expose you to new opportunities as well within that space. Have a balanced mindset but it is also crucial to find communities who help people from your country.”
Kaoshi Network: “Thank you so much for your time Modupe. It’s been really inspiring”
Modupe: “Thank you for the opportunity and for having me here.”
