121. IS ALL THAT GLITTER, GOLD? Jack’s Japa Empowerment - Diaspora Handbook - Nijaa Diaspora Empowerment - Nijaa Immigrant Handbook

121. IS ALL THAT GLITTER, GOLD?

The temptation of a foreign country can often feel strong, particularly for those looking at it from the outside. Images of riches, luxury, and stories of easy living overseas can lead many people to believe that everything they see is gold. However, once you enter this reality, you will quickly realise that not everything that shines is worth pursuing.

The pressure to meet sparkling standards is tremendous for Nigerians living overseas. The need to drive flashy cars or send constant money home in order to demonstrate that life is going well might lead to financial catastrophe. Many individuals over the world labour multiple jobs, risking their health and peace, all to retain the illusion of gold. But wisdom is in understanding that gold is not measured by outward appearances. Real gold is in stability, health, peace of mind, and the ability to build steadily, not in showcasing what you cannot sustain.

It is also important to note that the culture abroad thrives on consumption. Sales, credit cards, and constant advertisements push you to spend, spend, spend. But wise immigrants must ask themselves: is this glitter, or is this gold? Does this purchase build my wealth or trap me in debt? Not everything that shines in the store window or on social media is valuable. Sometimes the gold is in saying no, in being disciplined enough to live within your means.

Gold is also found in things you cannot always measure with money. Relationships, health, faith, and heritage are forms of gold that cannot be bought. Nigerians abroad who understand this, begin to prioritise differently. Instead of living for glitter, they live for growth. They invest in their children’s education, in their own skills, in maintaining strong family ties. They build slowly, sometimes invisibly, but when their success shows, it shines brighter than the fleeting glitter others chase.