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In this episode, I’m speaking with Jennifer Aikoroje, host of the Inside Your Finance podcast.
Jennifer and I explore what happens when you’re too young to grasp the full weight of immigration, when you don’t have the words to explain the churning feelings inside you. But then you grow up. You become an immigrant yourself. And suddenly, your parents’ impossible choices start to make sense.
She talks about that moment when her dad left her in Canada and returned to Nigeria for two more years. As a teenager, she felt like he had abandoned her. Now she gets it. Especially after making sure she secured a job before she moved to the United Kingdom.
But we don’t only talk about heavy stuff.
Jennifer and I also chat about:
Taking professional risks when you don’t feel ready
Why showing up beats being perfect
Immigrating to the UK as an adult and the lessons she learned
Dozie’s Notes
A few things that stuck with me as I listened through this week’s conversation:
You can’t buy your way out of the immigrant struggle. Money helps with logistics, but it doesn’t erase the emotional weight of starting over. You need to learn new systems, build community from scratch, and figure out who you are in a place that doesn’t know you yet. Money can’t really solve that.
Financial security before moving isn’t cowardice. Jennifer’s father kept his job in Nigeria. She secured hers before moving to the UK. Having a job means your nervous system can start settling. Without it, you’re dysregulated, constantly questioning if you made the right call. Now this isn’t the case for everyone but if you can move with a job in hand, please do it.
Official Links
✅ Connect with Jennifer Aikoroje on LinkedIn
✅ Check out the Inside Your Finance podcast
One Ask
If you found this story helpful, please forward or share it to one immigrant out there.
