E105: Oluwaseun Ayebiwo built a community before landing in Halifax

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In this episode, I'm speaking with Oluwaseun Ayebiwo, who moved from Lagos, Nigeria to Halifax, Canada with a ready-made community.

Most immigrants wait till they get to Canada before they start building a community. Taking this approach means they start with zero social capital, they have no one to turn to when trying to understand the unspoken cultural rules, and they find integrating slow and frustrating.

Well, Oluwaseun rolls different. The dude connected with 40+ people who were all moving to Nova Scotia from Lagos at the same time. They planned their trips together, some even flew on the same aircraft, and they've been supporting each other ever since.

What started as finding "one person and the other" quickly became a coordinated movement of 40+ people from Lagos, all planning their new lives together. That community has grown to over 700 people over the years.

In this conversation, Oluwaseun and I explore his community-first approach to immigration. We also chat about:

* How their success attracted and transformed Halifax's existing Nigerian community

* Finding people in your new country who share your values and goals

* What it means to serve on IRCC's Advisory Council for newcomers

* Why Halifax is a geographical hidden gem for Nigerians

Official Links

✅ Connect with Oluwaseun Ayebiwo on LinkedIn

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