Nana Kofi is a Ghanaian based in the United Kingdom, where he has lived for the past fifteen years. He shared his life story in an interview on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide with DJ Nyaami.
Back in Ghana, Nana Kofi was born in Kurofrom and later moved to Breman West. After completing secondary school in 1999, he continued to the university, where he studied Sociology. However, after graduation, he struggled to find a stable job despite his efforts. In 2010, he finally had the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom in search of better prospects.
According to him, studying Sociology made it difficult to secure employment, and he believes young people should be encouraged to learn skilled trades such as plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work. “Even white people are now encouraging their children to learn skilled jobs,” he said.
Nana Kofi revealed that although he had some uncles abroad, it was actually a man he barely knew who helped him travel, with support from a close friend. Life was not easy when he first arrived. He struggled to get his residence documents and took up different jobs to survive. Over time, things improved—he worked hard, went back to school, and now has a stable career. “What I have achieved in the UK over the past fifteen years makes me proud. I’m doing well and have even bought a house, which I’m paying off through a mortgage,” he shared.
He noted that people in Ghana often put unnecessary pressure on those living abroad.
“When you travel, everyone expects you to build a house in Ghana or send them money. They don’t understand that life abroad is not as easy as it looks,” he said.
Nana Kofi explained that when he first arrived in the UK, there were plenty of job opportunities, but the situation has changed.
“Now jobs are scarce because of new systems like the share code and Brexit, which brought more people from EU countries into the UK job market,” he explained.
He is married to a Ghanaian woman he met in the UK, and they have been married for fourteen years. He believes that many marriages abroad fail because people marry for the wrong reasons. “In Ghana, men usually provide for their wives, but in the UK, both partners work, and some women bring the Ghanaian marriage mentality here. That often causes conflict. I married my wife because I truly loved her, not because of documents. Marrying someone you don’t love just for papers feels like living in prison,” he said.
Nana Kofi also spoke about raising children in the UK, describing it as quite different from Ghana. “The education system is better, but you can’t raise your children the same way we do back home. Once they start school, they are taught the laws and even how to call the police if their parents discipline them,” he explained. He once lived in London but moved because of the high cost of living and the rising crime among young people. “In London, some youths even stab others for money or belongings,” he said.
Reflecting on his future, Nana Kofi shared his plan to return to Ghana after retirement. “I don’t plan to stay here during my pension years. I believe pension pay is a scam because the money they give you is heavily taxed. I’d rather retire in Ghana, eat good food, and live peacefully,” he concluded.
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