By Osundiji Sekinat
A Nigerian man, Michael Sonariwo, has recounted how his mother moved him from Atlanta, United States, to Nigeria against his wishes after he completed his sophomore year of high school.
Sonariwo, who was born in Washington, DC, said he moved to Atlanta at the age of three and spent most of his childhood there before his mother decided to return to Nigeria with him and his two younger brothers.
He said the decision came as a shock because he had grown up in Atlanta, attended public school and enjoyed his life there.
@sonariwoondeck I’m thankful I left but that was one of the most painful days #Atlanta #Nigerian #African #Storytime #fyp ♬ original sound – Michael Sonariwo (SOD)
“One day after my sophomore year, my mom tells me, ‘Hey, I’m moving to Nigeria.’ And I look at her and I say, ‘Congratulations.’ She looks at me back and says, ‘No, we’re all going,’” Michael recalled.
According to him, he resisted the move throughout the summer, with relatives, friends and members of the Nigerian community in different parts of Atlanta attempting to persuade his mother to allow him to remain in the US.
He said even his pastor offered to let him stay with him, but his mother refused.
Michael eventually agreed to leave after his mother became emotional while driving him home from a farewell sleepover with his friends.
He recalled promising his mother that he would board the flight to Nigeria the following day.
“Once I said I promise, my mom wiped her face, drove back home to Cobb County, packed our stuff, and I was on the Delta flight to Nigeria,” he said.
Sonariwo said he cried throughout the flight to Lagos, prompting a flight attendant to ask his mother if everything was okay.
He claimed that upon arriving in Nigeria, his mother tore up his American passport and enrolled him in a boarding school.
After six months, he said he sneaked out of the school and went with friends to the US Embassy, where he told officials that he was being held against his will.
According to Michael, embassy officials offered him a flight back to the United States, but he declined because he feared being disowned by his family.
He instead remained in Nigeria, where he lived with his grandmother for about two years while his mother settled into the country.
Michael said his experience in Nigeria also came with a major cultural adjustment, particularly after he was enrolled at Supreme Education Foundation (SEF) in Magodo, Lagos.
He recalled being called the “Yankee boy” by classmates because of his strong American accent.
On his first day, he said he struggled to understand some of the school’s disciplinary practices, including being ordered to kneel.
He said the cultural differences eventually led to a confrontation with a teacher, after which he was caned.
Looking back, Sonariwo said the experience helped him adjust to life in Nigeria and understand the importance of parents preparing children for major cultural changes.
He advised parents who plan to send children raised abroad to Nigerian schools, particularly boarding schools, to have conversations with them about the cultural differences they may encounter.
“Make sure you are involved in your children’s life even if you send them to secondary school, especially boarding school, because there are a lot of cultural differences they have to understand,” he said.
Despite initially resenting the move, Sonariwo said he is now grateful that his mother made the decision, saying his life could have taken a different direction had he remained in Atlanta.
He later moved to London for his undergraduate and master’s studies and said his experience of growing up between the United States and Nigeria has shaped his life.
Vanguard News
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