Naiza, a Ghanaian currently based in the United Kingdom, has shared his life story on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show with DJ Nyaami, opening up about his difficult past, migration struggles, and the sacrifices behind life abroad.
Born and raised in Kumasi Tafo Zongo, Naiza comes from a large family. His father married five wives, resulting in nearly 30 children. Growing up in such a household meant limited attention and resources, which affected his attitude toward education at an early age.
According to Naiza, he did not initially understand the importance of schooling. While still in school, he began working full-time as a “nankwasre” (metal scrap) dealer alongside his senior brother. This early exposure to money made him lose interest in formal education.
In 2009, Naiza traveled to Libya in search of a better life. He returned to Ghana in 2011, but migrated back to Libya again in 2013, where he spent about one and a half years. He described life in Libya as extremely terrible, citing hardship, danger, and suffering. In 2015, he returned permanently to Ghana.
Back home, Naiza resumed his nankwasre business and later worked as a butcher, dealing in beef meat. By then, he had a wife and children to care for. Inspired by stories and videos he watched of people living abroad, he believed life overseas was easy and financially rewarding.
In 2022, Naiza finally traveled to the United Kingdom. Upon arrival, he started working in a warehouse, where they processed snacks, including potato chips. Drawing from the resilience he developed in Libya, he decided that no job was beneath him as long as it helped him survive and progress.
From warehouse work, Naiza transitioned into construction, an opportunity that came through a man he referred to as Future, who introduced him to the field after helping him secure a connection. Construction, he said, has been very helpful financially, though the work is tough.
Despite the money, Naiza admitted that life abroad comes with serious emotional and mental challenges. He revealed that depression is common among many people living overseas. One of his biggest sacrifices was leaving his pregnant wife—five to six months along—and children in Ghana. He has now spent four years away from them.
Painfully, Naiza shared that during a visit to Ghana, his child did not recognize him and questioned whether he was truly his father, highlighting the emotional cost of migration.
Reflecting on his past, Naiza disclosed that before traveling abroad, he once helped people travel to Italy through the sea route, a decision he now looks back on with mixed feelings. He also shared a controversial moment from 2006, when he lent money to his teacher, which further convinced him at the time that schooling was not important—an opinion he now views with greater maturity.
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