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In this episode, I'm speaking with Uche Joel Ughonu, who moved from Lagos, Nigeria to Halifax, Canada in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moving during the pandemic created what I call the “double isolation” effect (where a newcomer dealt with the combined isolation of being new to Canada plus the restrictions that came with the pandemic) for most immigrants, Uche included.
And so, in my opinion, I'm not surprised Uche Joel has gone ahead to join forces with Banke Falade to build the Nigerian Canadian Life community. Together, these two amazing humans are building a safe space for Nigerians in Canada.
A space without the burden and status-led incentives I think come with the usual formal community associations.
In this conversation, Uche and I chat about what it's like to run a community for immigrants. We also explore:
What it felt like to move to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic
Their goals for the community
His biggest lessons from running the community
Why formal community associations have the wrong incentives
Why he can’t be there for everyone, and a lot of good stuff
Official Links
✅ Connect with Uche Joel on LinkedIn
✅ Connect with Banke Falade on LinkedIn
✅ Check out the Nigerian Canadian Life community
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