Who is not an Immigrant?

Deba Uwadiae

When my book, "The Immigrant on Columbus Way: A True Life Guide To Settling Down As A New Immigrant To The US" was released in January 2014 many wanted to know why we left our country to live in another country, especially beginning all over again. All over again, like seeking a job or starting a business, having an accommodation, going to school and navigating around in the new environment.  

For children, it is an excitement, they just want to explore as many places as their fantasy will permit but for adults with children, it is really challenging. The adults or parents are the hope of the children they brought and they also want to meet their own expectations. 
As a parent one is caught up between pleasing the children and making them comfortable and at the same time being able to provide those things that please the children and sustain the parent as well.

A friend advised when we were about leaving Lagos, Nigeria June 7, 2011 that I settle down my wife and children within six months and return to Lagos. His concern was my businesses - aviation media consultancy, publishing and the Annual Lagos Airport Marathon. These were actually concerns that had taken many years to build and leaving them behind for others to manage or abdicating would be unfair to all the years of pains and efforts to raise those concerns to the level they were in 2011.

Though I did not plan to settle the family down and return to Lagos in six months, I had intended being in Lagos in November 2011 for the Annual Lagos Airport Marathon. It was not to be because we only just moved into our apartment in September and started a new job in November.

Another friend wondered "why do you have to leave and go to another country to start all over again?" My response was "God asked Abraham to leave his home and his people for a land he was going to give him." And this response has been my response when people ask me why I had to leave the country of my birth for a new one.  

Immigration did not start today and will not end today. I grew up in Lagos which is about 400kilometers from Benin City, Edo State where I am from. My grand parents had left their different villages to sojourn in Benin City and hardly did the grandchildren knew or visited those villages or towns before they transitioned. Benin City became our home. My own parents left Benin City for Lagos. Though they have their homes in Benin City they had since retired to their Lagos home because they have built lot of relationship over 50years coupled with the fact that most of their children and grandchildren live in Lagos. 

In my present abode, people leave one State to another and adopt the new State. Wherever they find themselves become home. And using the Bible and history books as guides, people have constantly moved from place to place and are continually moving for different reasons which include economy, social and political. Somehow, everyone has a story of how they immigrated or their parents or forebears immigrated.

Today, I am an immigrant. I have come to love my new abode, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America where we have lived three years this day, June 7, 2014.  

This blog, TheImmigrant, is a forerunner and will regularly publish news on immigrants and immigrations.