IT'S NOT EASY LIVING HERE AS A SINGLE PERSON ALONE, IT CAN BE QUITE MENTALLY CHALLENGING AND OFTEN TIMES LEAD TO DEPRESSION AND SADNESS

MY CAREER CHOICE WAS STRONGLY DRIVEN BY THE ZEAL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

 Ifeanyi Edi was born and raised in Onitsha, Anambra State in Nigeria. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Radiology from the University of Nigeria Nsuka, Enugu Campus. Currently he is a Senior Radiographer in England, combining cross section imaging and plain film imagining. His hobbies include surfing the web, watching movies and having fun with friends/family.

Ifeanyi Edi became a radiographer because of his kin interest in making a difference. While he was yet to enter the university he came across the radiology profession from his sister and being that he didn’t want to join the band wagon of becoming either a doctor, medical lab scientist or others, he decided to pick radiology as it was novel to him then. Right now as a radiographer the moments he enjoys most are when the images in his mind about a case correspond with the images present in the film captured.

According to him Radiology/Radiography in Nigeria could be said to still be in its budding phase due to the leniency in training, the lack of emphasis on the need of continuous proficiency development, lack of required standard machines and the insufficient provisions on radiation protection has left the profession wanting in respect to its counterparts abroad. Hence the longing to practice radiology abroad.

Our guest desire to migrate to England was infused in his thoughts prior to his leaving the university. This was birthed by factors like the socioeconomic situation of the country, the manner of training and practice given to radiologist. Since he was determined to migrate, he knew the next step will be getting his finances in check, as he would be financing himself. So once he started his internship he saved up and began pursuing his dream.

On arriving England he was met with various challenges in communication, continuous professional development courses and being alone. Most of the above challenges and occupational shocks like the great importance attached to monitoring of dosage and radiation safety experienced, merely lasted for 3 months.  As a radiographer in England, a typical week for him, involves him taking rotational shifts capturing plain film and Cross section images. Although he comes to Nigeria occasionally on visitation, he still maintains that only humanitarian activities can make him relocate back to Nigeria.

Ifeanyi Edi has countless informative Advice imbedded in the interview video for the radiology department in Nigeria, youths intending to migrate, radiographers in Nigeria seeking to practice abroad and all those based in diaspora. He encourages Nigerian youth to continue to stand up for their right and he is certain that if we do Nigeria is going to attain a significant change in the right direction. 

I LEFT NIGERIA TO PURSUE MY NURSING CAREER IN ENGLAND, TO ACHIEVE JOB SATISFACTION AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY WHO TOIL TO SEND ME TO SCHOOL

BECOMING A NURSE WAS A DIVINE CALLING BECAUSE IT FALLS IN LINE WITH MY CORE VALUE, WHICH IS HELPING PEOPLE AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE POINT IN LIFE.

Martin Chukwudi Ozioko hails from  Enugu State Nigeria, he graduated from the university of Nigeria Enugu Campus in 2015, where he obtained his B.Sc. in Nursing and was deployed to Bauchi state in 2016  for his one year  NYSC program, during the period when the Boko Haram insurgency was rampaging in the North, he was brave to remain in the North to serve his nation, even when his fellow Corps members were redeploying to the east and the west for fear of their lives.  After his one-year service to the nation, Martin remained in the north to take up a humanitarian job with a non-governmental organization in Borno state which was the boiling point of the Boko Haram activities. Martin asserted that serving in the North was a period in his life that he would forever cherish because doing humanitarian services in the north ushered in the opportunity to leave Nigeria to pursue his dream of practicing as a Nurse in England.

Martin Currently lives in England and works with NHS England as a staff nurse at the surgery and cancer unit in Leighton hospital Crewe.

Growing up Martin never envisage that he would become a nurse someday, his dream was to become an Engineer like his Uncle who was a Mechanical engineer. Sadly, he lost his Uncle in 2006 and because of his great influence in his life, he wanted to replace him as the next Engineer in the family, but he was unable to pursue his goal because he was not good at math which he believed was a prerequisite for becoming an engineer. He decided to study Nursing as advised by his Aunties, who must have noticed his passion and undeniable love for helping people at their most vulnerable state.

While Studying nursing at the University of Nigeria, Martin already knew he wanted to practice abroad because the country did not in any way provide room for interdisciplinary collaboration on patient care as done abroad. According to him “working in Nigeria would not drive me to do well in the field”.

Immediately after bravely serving Nigeria in Bauchi at the heat of the insurgency and knowing that finance was a big tool to him attaining his dream of practicing abroad, he once again took the bull by the horns forsaking low paying jobs in his home state Enugu or other Eastern states and headed to Borno state where he knew quit few people and at the heart of the insurgency, to work with various Non-governmental agencies.

It was at this time of working in Borno that he started the process for actualizing his dream of practicing abroad. This involved him writing the computer-based examination that will earn him a license and the IELTS which he almost gave up on after his best got him failing the exam four times.  Thankfully he did not give up as he looked at failing as an opportunity to learn more and the exams as one he needed to pass for both himself and for his  family who had toiled to see him through the university to become a Nurse.

His decision to leave the country although, majorly centered on the desire to attain professional satisfaction in the nursing profession, cannot also be said to exist in isolation of other factors like financial pressure, bad governance and poor regard of nurses in the country.

Arriving England sure made him happy but he still had to face other challenges like the weather, food, manner of communication, difference in jokes, fun, banters, dressing and sadly loneliness as being away from family or friends which sometimes set in  depressive states.

Martin had lots more to say in his interview inclusive of the fact that he still believes Nigeria will be great again considering the level of human resources and bright minds she has and hopes for good governance someday.

He hopes to see a Nigeria, where professionals in the health sector would practice interdisciplinary collaboration in patient care, stop professional consciousness of overshadowing patient care and making their professions come first, forgetting that without patients the professions wouldn’t exist.

 His advice to nurses out there who aspires to pursue their dreams elsewhere, is to be dedicated, hardworking, to ensure to obtain the prerequisite skills and to be humble and diligent.  Also, for young people out there who intend to migrate to other country, he urges them to plan their moves, stay focused and be to be determined.

To Nigeria he says quit magnifying your geographical differences and to those in diaspora he advices to go back home to establish the good things seen abroad.

LET'S NOT CLAMOUR IN REGRETS WHEN WE COULD BE JUBILANT OF WHAT IS AND ONCE WAS

NIGERIA @60 POEM BY BARRISTER ONOME I. A.

Arise ohh compatriots

For Nigeria calls in pain

She is saddened for years lost

But believes it was never in vain

Tears replace laughter

While the rich prey on the poor

The glory of her youth is soon forgotten

As its tales have turned a satire

 

Let's not clamour in regrets

When we could be jubilant of what is and once was

A pride land of richness that transcends mere wealth

A home of greatness infused beings

Who are actively ready to portray intellect and humor

We stand firm, gallant and proud

Showcasing diversity in cultures

 

Yet now the giant is small

Creeping like a toddler on its knees

Becoming that which it fought hard not to be

A dependent state

Nigeria is a decade past it's golden jubilee

The hour has come for change to emanate

Let's shadow our vices with inbuilt strengths

 

IT WAS A DREAM MET WITH RIGOROUS CHALLENGES BUT WAS BROUGHT TO REALITY THROUGH COMMITTED PERSISTENCE AND DIVINE WILL.

 

JOIN US ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 9TH 2020 AS MARTIN OZIOKO
SHARES HIS STORY FROM DIASPORA

MY CAREER CHOICE WAS STRONGLY DRIVEN BY THE ZEAL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

JOIN US ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 11TH 2020 AS IFEANYI EDI SHARES HIS STORY FROM DIASPORA