Abdullah tentou a Holanda, mas a faculdade continuava a ser uma miragem. “não quero abdicar deste sonho e não quero desiludir a minha família que fez um esforço muito grande para eu sair da Nigéria.” Explica que a família teve de juntar muito dinheiro, tanto que dava para comprar uma casa na capital. E é por isso que não pode regressar assim, sem nada. A preocupação que tem com a família que não vê desde 2021, é tanta que não partilha com eles os medos que lhe vão na alma. “Não os quero preocupar,” diz.

Abdullah Badmus is a young Nigerian who, despite being 21 years old, has already traveled many miles to pursue a childhood dream: to become a doctor. "In my country being a doctor is an important profession, of status," while clarifying that he doesn't want to give consultations, "what I want to do is research," he says in the almost sighed tone of someone who is not sure if his dream is attainable. Where there's a will there's a way, it is certain that he will put on the coat of a doctor, but life takes many turns and he, was caught in the middle of a war that disrupted his entire life. "My family in Nigeria made a very big effort to get me to leave Nigeria and go to Kiev to study medicine." The choice of medical university in this city happened because of economic factors. "The scholarship I have is not enough to pay the tuition fees at most colleges in the rest of the world, and my family can't afford those expenses." For all these reasons, when the bombs started falling in Kiev on the night of the 24th, Abdullah left the university residence and took refuge in a bunker. He didn't take anything with him, because, as he says, "we didn't have time, but also because we believed it would be over soon. We all thought the war wouldn't last more than a few days." They hoped it would, but as the days passed and as the attacks only got worse, they realized that that future, was over. They decided to head for Lviv and then board a train to Poland, as so many Ukrainians did. Abdullah was in a group of 10 African students and, leaning on each other, they tried to find an exit door that would take them somewhere. By then he was already very aware of the difficult situation he was in. With the first year of medical school completed, but with nothing to prove it, it would be difficult to catch this train, too. I realized that I would have to go back to the 1st year and it was 1 year lost. But even worse was escaping the bombing and getting somewhere alive that would allow him to start over. The journey had barely begun. When they managed to catch a train, at the crowded station, they made the entire trip to Poland, 7 hours, standing and when they got there, they were refused entry.  Abdullah says that the reasons given had to do with issues related to the group's origin. "Because we were Africans. We were stumped and had to turn back."

They stayed sleeping in refugee tents, ate some cookies and drank a hot drink, and decided to try Romania.

To enter that country they had to pay an amount that he did not have. "I contacted many people through Facebook and managed to raise the amount needed."

As they made miles, they were losing elements. One got lost at the station, the other, a girl, managed to stay and study in Romania. "They asked for money in addition to the scholarship, and her family could afford it, so she stayed."

Abdullah tried the Netherlands, but college was still a mirage. "I don't want to give up this dream and I don't want to disappoint my family who made a very big effort for me to leave Nigeria." He explains that the family had to save a lot of money, so much that it was enough to buy a house in the capital. And that is why he cannot return like this, with nothing. His concern for his family, whom he hasn't seen since 2021, is such that he doesn't share with them the fears that are in his soul. "I don't want to worry them," he says.

Missing Nigeria a lot

He is living in Portugal and after a lot of struggle, many contacts made with colleges to advance her studies, he managed to enroll at FMUL, but because there is always a price to pay, not only did he lose his first year, but he will lose another. "The classes are taught in Portuguese and we have to learn Portuguese first." He doesn't want privileges, so he intends to take all classes in the language of the country. "There are teachers who ask the other students if they can teach in English, "but I don't want that. I don't want them to harm others because of me. I have to make an effort to learn." He speaks with a quiet tone. Since I haven't met him before, I don't know if it is selflessness, resilience, or a characteristic of his personality. He is tired and misses his own. Used to living with family, he explains that in Nigeria his parents and siblings, they were 10. Lived with uncles, aunts and cousins in a big house. Now he feels alone and although he is grateful to have escaped the war, he wonders if it was worth it. At such times, he remembers a man who is an inspiration to him: Ben Carson. "He's a neurosurgeon of African descent who went through a lot of hardship to get his degree. Today he is known for his merit and I draw a lot of inspiration from him."  He admits to having a "hunger for knowledge" and that gives him the strength to continue despite missing his family, friends, and his country, to which he dreams of returning after graduating.

Dora Estevens Guerreiro

Editorial Team