Solomon Dajan: 21 Years in the UK Without Papers
Solomon Dajan, a Ghanaian based in Scotland, recently shared his story on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide with DJ Nyaami.
Having lived in the UK for 21 years, he revealed that he got his documents recently and unable to return to Ghana, even when his mother and sister passed away Becuase he was undocumented at the time.
Born in Techiman, Solomon moved to Accra, where he worked in arts and crafts.
He successfully exported goods to the UK and the U.S., which eventually led to an opportunity to travel abroad. However, his journey was far from smooth.
At the airport, an immigration officer withheld his passport and demanded £250, leaving him with just £50 for his journey.
Upon arrival in Zurich, his passport was flagged, and he was arrested due to irregularities. While in detention, he met three other Ghanaians who had gone through similar experiences.
A Ghanaian-American intervened on his behalf, helping him secure passage to the UK.
Solomon first settled in London but faced extreme hardship as he had no acquaintances or support.
A friend introduced him to a pub and restaurant called Golden Still, where he worked part-time, earning £300. Later, another Ghanaian friend took him to Scotland in 2005, helping him secure a security job.
Unfortunately, that friend was involved in drugs. Solomon unknowingly found himself entangled in a case when a container shipped from Ghana was intercepted by Interpol.
Although he had no knowledge of its contents, he was arrested when police raided his workplace. The case was widely covered in the Scottish media.
His friend, who had sought asylum as a Liberian, avoided major consequences, but Solomon, lacking legal documents, was jailed for six months in Barlinnie Prison, known for housing criminals.
He was later detained for another six months, awaiting deportation. Despite everything, those responsible for the shipment were never arrested.
Desperate to legalize his stay, Solomon entered relationships with multiple women, hoping they could help him acquire the necessary documents.
He first dated a Ghanaian woman, but their relationship ended, leaving him back at square one. He later got involved with a British woman, expecting her to assist him, but after five years, she failed to secure his residency.
He eventually had a son, now 12 years old, with another woman. However, when their relationship ended, the authorities required him to provide a visitation letter before seeing his child.
He battled for three years in court before being granted visitation rights, but still, his legal status remained unresolved.
Finally, he met and married an Eastern European woman, which led to him acquiring residency after two years.
After 21 years, Solomon remains disillusioned. He admits that coming to the UK was not as rewarding as he had hoped.
Before leaving Ghana, he owned a car, and a handicraft shop and exported goods to the U.S., but he sold everything to travel. Today, he does not even own a plot of land in Ghana.
He reflects on a former employee who struggled in Ghana but now owns three hotels in Accra, while he continues to struggle in the UK.
Many of his Ghanaian friends abroad face similar difficulties, with some resorting to seeking asylum through false claims, such as pretending to be gay, just to obtain legal status.
Solomon advises young people with stable jobs in Ghana to reconsider before traveling abroad.
“If you’re over 40 and have a good job in Ghana, don’t come. The system has changed, and things are not as easy as they used to be,” he warns.
Despite finally obtaining residency, Solomon remains uncertain about his future, unable to return to Ghana because he has nothing left there.
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