The hidden struggles of the ‘Japadians’

In recent years, a new identity has quietly emerged among Nigerians, an identity shaped by courage, hope, and sometimes silent heartbreak. They are the “Japadians”: Nigerians who have relocated to Canada in search of stability, opportunity, and a fresh start. Their stories are often presented as success narratives online, framed with winter jackets, coffee cups, smiling children in front of suburban homes, or pictures taken outside gleaming corporate buildings. Yet behind those images, there is another reality many do not see. The reality of starting again, of rebuilding from the ground up, of learning a new cultural language, and of facing a loneliness that is difficult to describe.

A few years ago, a close friend told me he was ready to relocate to Canada. He and his wife were both doing well professionally in Nigeria. They had careers they had built over time, reputations that mattered, and stability that many pray for. They wanted something more predictable for their children. They wanted safety, structure, and functioning public systems. I listened and then I tried to discourage him. Not because I didn’t believe in Canada. But because I understood what it truly takes to start over. I explained the challenges, the years of adapting, the many unspoken battles. I urged him not to sell everything. Not to burn bridges. To hold on to something back home.

He didn’t listen.

Three years after moving, he called again. His savings were gone. The properties in Nigeria had been sold. His wife was working multiple jobs, and he was still searching for something stable and aligned with his qualifications.

He sounded tired in a way that words cannot fully express. And although part of me remembered our conversation from years before, I could not say “I told you so.” Because his dream was valid. His intention was good. And his pain was real.

Settling in Canada takes time. It takes patience, humility, and emotional strength. On average, it takes about five years to rebuild a sense of professional identity, confidence, and stability. Some arrive and find success quickly. Others struggle for months or even years before finding their footing. But this is the part that rarely makes it to social media.

There is also the silence. The silence of those who cannot tell their families back home that things are hard. The silence of professionals who used to manage teams, now working in warehouses or survival jobs just to keep up with rent.

The silence of those using credit cards to fill the gap between income and expenses. The silence of parents who sit awake at night wondering whether they made a mistake, yet cannot say so out loud because too many people are depending on their success story. The silence of brilliant minds who came with hope and now carry worry like a shadow.

Canada is still a great place to build a future. It remains one of the safest and most stable nations in the world. But it is going through economic tightening. Housing is expensive. Inflation is real. The job market is competitive. And the emotional toll of restarting can be deep for those who came expecting an instant landing.

So if you are thinking of relocating, this is not advice against it. It is an invitation to move with wisdom. Do not sell everything. Do not disconnect from your network at home. Do not abandon a strong career without a strategic transition plan. Understand the journey you are about to begin.

And beyond this, we must begin to talk about return pathways. Nigeria is losing incredible talent, not just to relocation, but to quiet struggle abroad that prevents people from contributing meaningfully anywhere.

If we fail to create dignified avenues for people to return home, we risk losing an entire generation of thinkers, builders, doctors, engineers, creatives, and administrators who are needed for national development. Returning should not be framed as failure. Returning should be seen as strategic repositioning. We need structures that make going back home a viable and respected option.

Canada works. Nigeria can work. The choice many are making is not merely about location. It is about hope.

To those planning to move: go with your eyes open. Go with preparation. Go with patience. But do not go with the belief that everything must be left behind.

And remember my friend.

• Owodunni is City Councillor of Ketchener, Ontario, Canada.