AMOS FAYEUN: Better Opportunities for Nigerian Youths In Canada

Dr. Amos Kayode Fayeun, is a man of many parts. referred to as a ‘supermarket proffesonal’, the principal consultant, Amos International Consultancy Services, is a lawyer and a certified Immigration consultant. He shows his humanitarian side in his quest to assist young nigerians to relocate to canada in this interview with  ‘LANRE ODUKOYA

 

WHAT SPURRED YOUR INTEREST IN CONSULTING FOR INTENDING IMMIGRANTS TO CANADA?

 

The issue of developing nations is of serious concern to me. I’ve been in the banking industry for about twenty six years of my life. I have PhD in Finance and I’ve been a senior lecturer in a university. I’ve asked myself several times, what exactly is the real problems of developing nations, Nigeria in particular? I had a great opportunity in my life to relocate to Canada with my family (wife and children). That was a rare opportunity to have to homes to compare. When I compared Nigeria to Canada, I realised there are so many similarities. The day break as usual like everywhere else around the world. I discovered that what Nigeria lacks is human resources. You may have gold and diamond, but if you lack human resources, you will be a wretched nation. Nigeria has oil and gas, Canada has too, so why is Canada developed and Nigeria is under-developed? The answer is human capital. This what motivated me to make a resolve that when I get to Canada, I’d use the last time of my life on earth to help the Nigeria youths. Our youths suffer because of the knowledge gap. Most of our graduates are not adequately informed.

 

HAVE YOU NO FEAR THAT MOST OF THE YOUTHS MAY DECIDE NOT TO RETURN IF THEY MIGRATE TO CANADA?

 

That’s a wrong notion. God is wonderful; the blood is thicker than water. My children are in Canada and do you know that the 23-year-old one among them is investing in Nigeria now? So, what I’m getting at is that where they decide to use the skills they acquire after the exposure is secondary. Half-baked bread is dangerous to health, that’s the same way half education is also harmful for the development of the country. Half-educated youths will not be useful to Nigeria and will not be useful to themselves. The good news is that they may decide to stay there for a while, but when they’re about 50 years of age, the yearning to return home will naturally set in. I’ve seen so many people who clock that age and the next on their mind is ‘why don’t I return home and better my community?’ And they will come back with wealth of experience from around the world to better this country.

 

CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THERE’S QUITE A NUMBER OF PERSONS PLYING YOUR TYPE OF TRADE, HOW AFFORDABLE IS YOUR CONSULTANCY SERVICE TO INTENDING IMMIGRANTS?

 

Let me be honest with you, I know only two recognised and registered immigration consultants in Nigeria. There are so many fake consultants out there. The business is just like church where everybody starts saying they got God’s calling because one in their neighbourhood is booming. When people are not employed now and they’re a little read, the next thing they say is, ‘I’m a consultant’ The law says Caveat Emptor, Buyers Beware. Many claim to be Canadian Immigration Consultants when they’ve not been to Canada all their lives. Ask them for their ID cards. Nigerians are very gullible. To confirm the authenticity of a consultant’s claim; go to Google, it will lay the truth bare right before you.

As for how affordable my services are; I glorify God for my life and that of my family. My motive of returning to Nigeria is to help the youths. I’m not back home to pursue money. Our rates are highly reasonable. When I look at some situations where applicants are qualified and dedicated to their cause but do not have money, I help with my own money. My target with destiny is that, one day, I can line up names in my data base and say, ‘these are the people I’ve helped in my life’ and these young persons would also say, ‘oh, this is daddy that helped me’. That is more than money to me.

 

THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY SIDES TO YOU, HOW DID THEY EVOLVE?

 

I’m a ‘supermarket professional’ with so many compartments. I’m willing to touch lives and I believe knowledge is the key tool to achieve this. That’s why I have a part of me that is banking, law, lecturing, consultancy and so on. I bagged B.Sc in Banking, M.Sc in Economics and PhD in Finance. I’m an immigration lawyer. I was a visiting lecturer in a university and to conclude my PhD, I had to go and lecture in Babcock University, Ogun State. I returned to the banking industry again before I went to Canada. So, Canada gave me another lease of life. The first chance I got there was to train as a stock broker. I was trading in Toronto Stock Exchange as a stock broker. In finding a way to understand the problem of developing nations, I trained as a Human Resources Consultant. I recruit and train for multinational companies in Canada. I went to train as an internal auditor in the US and returned to train in Canada as an immigration consultant in one of the universities.

 

HOW DO YOU RECREATE AFTER THE DAY’S JOB?

 

The consulting business is not enviable at all unless someone decides to be lazy. Do you know that I work in the midnight when some people are sleeping? The only joy in being an entrepreneur is that you’re the owner of your time. You can schedule it as you want. But if you’re a problem solver, if your mission in life to save people or help humanity in any way possible, you have little time for your life.

My only way of relaxation which was my social life has been negatively affected by this job. I belong to some clubs but I don’t even have the time to hang out with friends anymore.

 

HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR WIFE AND WHAT FOND MEMORIES DO YOU HOLD?

 

I met my wife when we were doing National Youth Service. I studied in the UK and returned for the service. So, we met in Abeokuta where we were posted. Then, when you come from overseas, girls will be dotting over you here and there. She never sought my attention and hardly ever noticed I was around. By the time I came closer to her, I saw contentment and naturalness. I remember an occasion when I went to see her at home, she was grinding pepper with the local stone and when they told her I was around, she could hide what she was doing but she dragged me there and gave me a seat to watch her continue her grinding. That really touched my heart.