Where are they now? James

It was a cold morning in mid-January in 2012. I had just gotten off my BA flight from Nigeria to England. I stepped foot in the UK for first time as a student looking to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Greenwich. I had combed through many university prospectuses looking for a place with the right balance in curriculum and rich student diversity. That was why I settled on the University of Greenwich for my MSc in Electrical Power Engineering.

May 2012 day trip to Minnis Bay,
Kent with Philippa & Andrew

Days passed as I managed to complete my student registration and get used to new weather, very different from what I was used to. One day, I stopped by at the student centre for an inquiry and by the corner was a soft-spoken lady who handed over a slip inviting me for various extracurricular programs especially for international students. That lady was Lynne Martin – the Associate Chaplain at the Medway campus of the university. Together with others she ran the Chaplaincy activities like Sunday Lunches and TABLEtalk programs. I particularly became keen on the TABLEtalk program because it was a gathering of international students - and some locals - where we shared fun times and learned from each others viewpoint and diversity.

Looking back, I would say my interactions at TABLEtalk was one my most rewarding experiences on campus. I got back home to Nigeria after my program in 2013 and picked up a job as an engineer in electric utility. My job at the time was in a location in the southwest of Nigeria. It was a new experience because as you travel to different parts of Nigeria, you will be greeted by its diversity in culture and ways of life.  It was easy to fit in given what I had learned from TABLEtalk about how to interact and appreciate different perspectives. I changed jobs twice since then, but I am now back at Nigeria’s capital where I call home these days. My recent interest in infrastructure development has led me into more finance and planning job roles and I am looking forward to pursuing this new path.

Me and Mimi

Things are really moving so fast. I met my wife who had returned to Nigeria in 2016 after many years in Spain. It was easy to connect given my world view on so many things. We welcomed a set of triplets in October - yes two girls and a boy! We are on an exciting journey raising them.

From left to right:
Herma (girl) , Fadanari (boy) and Imani (girl)  

Thanks to social media, I have kept in touch with a few friends from Greenwich – and hope to celebrate a reunion someday.

Best wishes to all and please keep safe.

James Barka Sajou