- Jerry Chiemeke moved from Nigeria to London in 2022, seeking writing career opportunities.
- He said the UK job market was too competitive, and he received rejection after rejection.
- Chiemeke is struggling in England but does not want to give up and return to Nigeria.
This narrated essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Jerry Chiemeke, a writer from London, about his move to the UK from Nigeria. Business Insider has verified his visa with documentation. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
“I am originally from Nigeria, but I am starting to become disillusioned with the country I was born in.
Muhammadu Buhari became president in 2015. Under his leadership, there was national concern over human rights violations and economic decline. Our currency was affected, and my friends began leaving the country, seeking better career opportunities in countries like the US, Canada, and the UK.
In Nigeria, I work in law and media communications and also pursue writing. I review books, write essays, and publish poetry on the side, and also published a collection of short stories in 2020.
I want to be known as a writer, but I’m not sure if I should continue developing my career in Nigeria.
The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the economic and political situation in Nigeria. On October 20, 2020, Nigerian soldiers opened fire on people protesting against the police. There are varying reports of the death toll, which is in the dozens.
I started planning to leave the country. Many young people were disillusioned after participating in the protests that led to the massacre. I did not want to live in a country that I felt was actively trying to eliminate its young people.
I finally moved to the UK in 2022 on a Global Talent visa. I wanted to continue building my career as a creative, but since then I have found it difficult to find permanent work.
I traded one problem for another by moving to England, but I didn’t give up on my dream.
I need to show that I am eligible for a Global Talent Visa to come to the UK
Britain is connected to Nigeria through the Commonwealth, and there is a large Nigerian community here. I felt there was a good place for me. I had seen other Nigerian writers succeed in Britain.
I was accepted onto several master’s programmes at UK universities in 2021, but ultimately, the tuition fees and financial costs made the choice more stressful in the long run.
A friend of mine suggested the Global Talent visa for people with skills in academia, technology and the arts. It seemed like a great option with a pathway to indefinite residency, where you can live and work in the UK for as long as you want, and the chance for my creative work to be appreciated in the UK.
The application required evidence that I was a leader in my field or had the potential to become one. I submitted reviews of my books, awards I had won and been nominated for, and letters of recommendation from several arts organizations, among other things.
I submitted the evidence to The Arts Council England and paid the application fee. After getting approval from the Arts Council, I took the letter of support, receipts for visa fees and immigration surcharges, and my passport to the visa office in Lagos. My application was approved in August, allowing me to live and work in the UK for up to five years.
To renew my visa after three years, I need proof that I have earned income from my work. I want to stay in the UK indefinitely, so I need to get relevant paid work opportunities.
It is very difficult to get paid work in the UK creative industries
I was hesitant to leave everything and everyone I loved and cared about to start my career again in a new country.
Every day in Nigeria felt like summer, but I arrived in the UK in autumn, which quickly turned into winter. I had to get used to it getting dark at 4pm.
I saved a lot before I moved. I was quite happy with my full-time job and side hustle writing in Nigeria, and for about eight months, I spent less than a third of my salary on savings before I quit my job.
Before coming to the UK, I had been getting part-time editing jobs. I had been applying for full-time jobs in the arts but had been unsuccessful. After about three months in the UK, I got a full-time position as a digital marketing executive for an electrical company.
My job involves copywriting, but I want to work in the UK creative industry. I have applied for editor and contributor positions but have been rejected time and time again. I can freelance but have not yet found permanent creative work.
London felt lonely. I stayed with a friend in London for the first six weeks before moving into my own flat. I have Nigerian friends living in the UK but it was hard to meet up.
I know how the creative industry works in Nigeria, but I don’t have the same knowledge of the opportunities here, and there is only so much information you can google.
In Nigeria, I worked as a staff writer and senior editor, but I feel like there is a lot more competition for the same positions in the UK. Sometimes, when I look at a job opening on LinkedIn, 100 people have applied in the last hour.
Some of the organisations that turned me down said they wanted candidates with more UK experience, so the criteria seems pretty strict here.
I thought I was entering a senior stage of my career in Nigeria, but in the UK, I couldn’t get a mid-level job. I have seen some of my Nigerian colleagues applying for entry-level jobs in the UK who were previously at mid-senior level in my home country.
However, being at a senior level in Nigeria is not necessarily a step forward as the economic downturn is affecting many, and inflation is soaring.
Despite struggling in England, I don’t want to go back to Nigeria.
England isn’t perfect, but I want to stay for the career opportunities
I was naive when I first arrived. Earning money in pounds seemed like a big deal because of the exchange rate. There were never any power cuts like in Nigeria, and I felt safer. But the reality is that the UK is not perfect. Inflation fluctuates, rents rise, and sometimes public transport doesn’t work.
There are a few things to consider when deciding to migrate. Ultimately, I want to stay in the UK because it is better for my career. Although the competition is tough, there are more opportunities to see the results of my work. I just need to try those opportunities.
My visa allows me to work in the UK until October 2025. After five years in the country, I plan to apply for an extension and then indefinite leave to remain, but I need to gather more paid opportunities.
I have proven myself in Nigeria; now I have to prove myself in England. It is a challenge, but the road wouldn’t be worth it if it was easy.
