In honor of Black History Month.
I will tell my own experience in regards to discrimination, and how I think we can get closure and make more progress.
I remember when me and may mates was finishing high school year or college ,and we had an online job portal which allowed us to apply for external jobs/training to get a feel of work life.
I remember after the exhaustive search a large majority of the black students didn’t get response despite having good grades and references.
Especially me I was having no luck.
The career advisor who coincidentally was a Yoruba told me in her office of the record ‘’that why are you surprised don’t you know us Nigerians are the ‘’most hated race in the job market’’.
If you have a Nigerian name the employers won’t be impressed.
The Jamaicans and Ghanaians will have a higher chance than a Nigerian of getting the job.
I truly was floored ,and didn’t know my culture could be a barrier to my success, not my work ability or attitude.
I truly appreciated the advisor’s frankness, because I truly am the type of person that doesn’t like to have my head in the clouds.
I like to face reality.
The other advice she gave me since I was hoping to get into the journalism industry was that I would have a better chance of succeeding in either US,Canada,Dubai and Africa.
She gave me another option if you stay in Britain it’s better to work for yourself because the highest chance of employment is either working in a mortuary or being a carer.
Jobs that give you trauma and age you before your years, and most importantly are done by overworked and stressed foreigners.
I truly would say a job is a job, but I don’t think casual racism should just be left to be so casual.
And what is sad this happened to me over 10 years ago but sadly things haven’t changed in regards to ‘’causal discrimination’’.
We Nigerians are still suffering, I have a Nigerian mate who has a masters in medicine but because he couldn’t get employment he moved back in with his mum ,and continued his studies so he can get paid to study.
I get the logic,but sadly your basically accumulating more student debt.
My quick solution to all this mess is Nigerians in the UK should take the advice of President Tinubu and return home and be part of the new Nigeria, and take advantage and form their own opportunities there.
Why be one of the few when you can be one of the many?
At least you won’t feel discriminated.
I do believe Britain does provide ethnic minorities opportunities to an extent, but it’s not the rate it should be when it comes to employment for black british.
We still are one of the most impoverished demographics in Britain.
If you feel discriminated do something about it go back home or stay in Britain, and help create change and look for the necessary tools to survive in a profession that you can feed you and your family.
I also believe we should have more discussions with the British government, as it’s now an epidemic of black british returning home.
They should ask themselves why are some citizens feeling like third class, and are to the point booking first class or second class to leave Britain at alarming rates.
We truly can’t be Great Britain when most people don’t feel great.