MY LIFE IN GERMANY

Tuesday, 24 September 2024, marks the 70th birthday of Prince Adeniran Gbadebo, a Berlin-based businessman, philanthropist and distinguished member of the royal family in Igbajo, Osun State, Nigeria. Prince Gbadebo is celebrated not only for his business achievements but also for his unwavering commitment to his community, both in Nigeria and within the African diaspora in Europe. Prince Gbadebo is …

I still can’t believe I got my first job in Germany by speaking to the person sitting next to me on the S-Bahn. If you know anything about Germany, it’s that everyone minds their own business on the train. So, gathering the courage to ask a question was not an easy feat. But that question changed my life forever. “What …

Hi there, I’m Nesa. If you haven’t read the previous episodes, I advise you to stop reading. Go back, read them, and then come back. Don’t worry; I’ll be right here waiting for you. And if you’ve already read the previous episodes, buckle up, and let’s continue our journey. I would not call myself a DADA BEE (a Ghanaian colloquialism). …

Hi again, Nesa here. Welcome back to the second episode of my journey. Today, we dive into my experience relocating from Ghana to Germany, a journey that redefined my path and taught me invaluable lessons about resilience, starting afresh, and seizing opportunities. To be honest, I never imagined I would settle in Germany. Born here but raised in Ghana, I …

In her new short autobiographic book, Cologne-based legal scholar and creative author Nesa narrates her story, of an African girl who was born in Germany but raised in the continent and now lives in the country of her birth. This is the first episode of Nesa’s chronicle Hi, I’m Nesa, and over the next ten weeks, I’ll be taking you …

Anastasia Fechner is the founder of Love Place International Ministries e.V. Germany, an evangelical Christian Charismatic Movement, whose core mission is “to replicate Christ’s love and principles to the nations of the world, making disciples of all nations”. Anastasia Fechner is an inspiration coach who fervently believes that equipped with the power in scriptural knowledge, everyone is capable of realising …

The Berlin-based Gambian journalist and activist Nyima Jadama has been honoured for her engagement against racism and for the empowerment of African migrants. She received this year’s Silvio-Meier-Preis (Silvio Meier Prize), awarded by the Berlin district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg to people who work against racism and discrimination, on Thursday (13 July) at a ceremony in the federal capital city. Ms Jadama, …

In an exclusive interview with The African Courier, Godfrey Evurulobi, a graduate of international business from the University of Applied Sciences Cologne, narrates how he started and he talks about the nursing care sector in Germany and why his companies are currently recruiting Africans. The Nigerian-born entrepreneur also talks about his successes and challenges so far, and he gives tips to Africans planning to start a business in the country.

Céphas Kosi Olatidoye Bansah, the Togbe Ngoryifia of the Hohoe Gbi Traditional Area, Ghana, has been living in Germany since 1970. After he was named chief of the 300,000-strong community of Ewe-speaking people in 1992, Bansah chose to continue living in Germany instead of returning home. The master agricultural machinery mechanic and master motor vehicle mechanic, who is better known …

Hamburg-based retiree (73) talks about his 36-year sojourn in Germany and the important lessons immigrants can learn from society. I came to Germany in January 1984 to seek political asylum. Before coming to this country, I knew Germany was one of the democratic Western countries, highly industrialised and noted for its cars – Mercedes Benz, VW, etc. and  machines. It …

Clara Uwazie Meierdierks writes about the value of friendship and family, mentioning by name those who stood with her through thick and thin, both in Nigeria and Germany. But she also painfully recalls the gossip-mobbing that she suffered when things were not going well for her

 – MY LIFE IN GERMANY – A successful young African professional , a senior consultant at Oracle Germany, talks about his life from his roots in Cameroon to how he came to study and work in Germany, and the useful lessons he has learnt along the way. He gives invaluable tips to African students in the country. “I was born …

Today the number of foreigners has increased now. In the 1970s and 80s we were not so many. I remember being called “Kunta Kinte” in the suburb of Aachen where I used to live because I was the only Black guy around.

My father is Greek and my mother is Ghanaian. I came to Germany in the late 1990s to learn the German language and be a bilingual secretary. And Cupid’s arrow pierced my heart. The Germans are a down-to-earth people and I was fascinated by their difficult language. It was not an easy road considering the language barrier when I first …

I am the daughter of the well-known Nigerian human rights activist Comrade Oladipo Ola-Oni. My family originated from Ibadan, Nigeria, and I have been living in Germany since 1992. In Nigeria I was motivated by the way my best friend spoke the German language. It fascinated me. I developed so much affection for it that my dad applied for me …

I am a 31-year-old Kenyan. I left my home country more than twelve years ago, six months after I completed my secondary education. My initial reason for coming to Germany was my interest in the German language. Since I had already learnt it for four years in my secondary school, I wanted to further my skills before I embarked on …

Originally from Nigeria, I am now German and have lived in Germany since 1989. I’m happily married to a German woman and we have four children. I quickly learnt that you need the German language and education in this country to achieve your goal. For this reason, I first learnt the language and obtained technical education training. I’m a mechatronics …

I was born in Luanda, Angola. I came to Germany in 1992 from Angola with my parents. Of course, as I was only six at that time I didn’t know what to expect here and didn’t think much about it. It was not easy for me when I started school as I didn’t speak a word of German. However, I …

Adebisi Laja, born in 1932, first arrived in Europe in June 1954, when he disembarked a ship that took him from his native Lagos to Liverpool. In October 1958, he moved to Germany to study medicine. The old, but still very energetic man, talks about life in Europe and Germany then and now; he reveals how he deals with the …

The recorded presence of Africans in the territory of today’s Germany can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was fashionable for royal as well as other wealthy households to keep Africans as court servants.  Later waves of Africans from Germany’s colonies – Togo, Cameroon, Southwest Africa (now Namibia) and Tanzania – came between the late 1890s and …