Nigerian actor and stand-up comedian Bovi has given an explanation for his family’s relocation abroad.
Citing the prevalence of claimed bullying at certain Nigerian schools, he explained in a recent episode of the “Uncoloured” podcast that his children had been residing in the UK for the past two years.
Bovi described how he became streetwise while attending boarding school in Nigeria.
However, because of the pervasive bullying culture in Nigeria, he declined to send his kids to boarding school there.
“My kids don’t live in the country [Nigeria] anymore. They have been in the UK for two years now. It started by accident, my first son has been there since 2021 in a boarding house.
“I went to boarding school in Nigeria and it made me street-smart. So I decided that my kid needs to go boarding but not in Nigeria because the educational system has accepted bullying”, he said.
On mass migration, Bovi attributed it to the lack of enabling environments in Nigeria.
He cited the example of doctors leaving the country, stating that while new doctors are being trained, the working conditions in Nigeria are not conducive for them to stay.
Bovi emphasised that it’s not just about money but also about working in an environment that values and supports professionals.
He highlighted the stark contrast between working conditions in Nigeria and those in Western countries, where doctors and other professionals can work with dignity and decent infrastructure.
According to him: “The saving grace of the country is that we’ve not gone into war or food shortage. We’ve also not had natural disasters.
“So we can lose 500 doctors in one year but there are about 200 new doctors coming on board. It’s like using balm aid on a big wound. That’s why it has not blown up in our faces.
“If the government wants to stem the tide, they check what the West is doing. Why are doctors comfortable going to work in other countries? It’s not just the money. If you are passionate about something but when you get to work there’s light and an enabling encouragement, you don’t get to fight to go to work or go back home.
“It may not be perfect but at least that decency is not lost. Patients have died in Nigeria because of lack of blood or power failure during operation. If you are a medical doctor, would you like to work under that kind of condition? The answer is no.”
