Mental Chains: An Unspoken Reality

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There was a time an argument broke out on the Nigerian chapter of Facebook. You see, people were of the opinion that the Igbo apprenticeship system (Nwa boy) has created more billionaires than universities.

I laughed at such ignorant talk because all the big Igbo business owners in Nigeria are all university graduates. So it becomes highly laughable when they state such a fallacy with confidence.

What is the Igbo apprenticeship system you might wonder. Well, it is a system where a young man from a less privileged home would go serve a wealthy business owner for 7 years or more. After which he will be settled with a few million and some good on credit purchases from his master.

Now, if you take a critical look at the setting of the Igbo apprenticeship system, you will see that it's modern-day slavery in disguise. Again, it is worth noting that not every young man in the Nwa boy system gets settled as some of these young men once it's near their freedom gets framed and dismissed by their master for theft or sexual harrassment of their master's daughter/wife.

Basically if adults prepare adequately to be parents and have the number of children that they can fend for, no teenage boy or child will be made to go such ugly experience.

Aside this Nwa boy mechanism, another modern-day slavery where the chains have been decorated to fit beautifully and pass as appealing is the relocation abroad under dubious means.

One time, I remember a friend pushing for me to relocate abroad. I told him I didn't have the required funds, and he said if I really wanted to relocate, money was not the problem.

He made mention about assisting me and that when I go there through schooling, I could engage in so many underground and informal jobs that will earn me good money. One that I do not have to pay tax on, as I would be paid cash and also below the minimum wage. According to him, it's a win-win situation for my employer and me.

My friend's suggestion didn't sit well with me so I asked him some of the questions as follows for clarity: "what if I can't meet up with my tuition fee?" "What if the bills get overwhelming?" And then he gave me the most unexpected answer, he said to me that the school is not important and that I could ditch it to focus on the hustle. With his response, I immediately became uninterested, especially when he said I'd have to pay him back by giving him 30% of my earnings.

I knew it wasn't a good deal, but then this proposal came at a time when all my friends relocated out of the country, and I was the only one among my peers left in Nigeria. The pressure to relocate became strong, but after carefully analyzing the situation, I stayed put even when my friends kept pressuring me to consider the offer so I could join them.

You know, I have stated countless times my reasons for remaining in Nigeria—not that I have zero intentions of going abroad, but I believe that what is worth doing is worth doing well. Not only that, but I have read a lot about the hard life illegal immigrants had to face in a new country.

I have also seen them in movies, and technically one might want to argue that movies aren't reality, but then I have also gotten into talks with some of my friends who were honest enough to open up about their not-so-pleasant experiences in a new country. The shocking part of the whole experience shared was that these my friends were not even illegal immigrants, as they went there via the education route and even graduated.

Although other of my friends do have or had it quite easy, reason being that they have an existing family member there who had gone through the sacrifices to give them a soft landing.

Moving on, if ever I'm to relocate abroad, it will be only temporary for schooling and relaxation purposes. I guess I do not feel comfortable relocating in such a manner that will put me in beautifully decorated chains or a disguised slavery position.

You know there were times that I go online on Facebook, to see some citizens of these advanced countries complain about how immigrants come to mess up their economy.

One time, a man posted that slavery is long abolished, but he sees some people willingly put on the chain mentally by engaging in menial jobs and working overtime for lesser pay.

According to this complainant, it becomes difficult for him as a citizen to get a job because employers now want to pay peanuts, and if you refuse and insist on being paid what's due to you, you will be told, "If you don't do it, I will get an African who will for more hours."
I'm not sure how valid his claims were, but I'm aware some of the working conditions are nothing to write home about, which is one reason one of my cousins relocated back home after his M.Sc degree.

To quell my curiosity, I investigated the post claim further under the comment section, and I saw a Nigerian talk about black tax. I saw her comment, which states that people like her don't have much of a choice, as they have families depending on them back home. I honestly did feel some type of way because working for others and barely for yourself is just another instance of modern-day slavery one which I would not want to be involved in.

But then, it get's easy when everyone around that single individual who happens to be the bread winner earn too and are independent to a large extent. With that, I believe black tax will become obsolete