Esther Chukwu is an agriculturist, a freelance coach, a digital creator, and a tech enthusiast. She recently relocated to the United Kingdom (UK) on a study visa for a master’s programme in Data Science at the York St John University, London. In this interview by KINGSLEY ALUMONA, she speaks about her tech career and her UK experience.
You studied Agricultural Economics and Management, but are fully into freelance coaching and digital creation. What inspired you to dive into coaching and digital creation?
I started practising agriculture right from school. I started my poultry farm in 2017 during my six months of industrial training in my 400 level at the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. My poultry farm still runs till today and it’s been managed by my family.
I’m someone who likes trying new things, especially things that can generate money. I’ve tried a couple of online businesses, including affiliate marketing, crypto-trading, blogging, and dropshipping – and, currently, I’m fully focusing on freelancing. I always share the stories of adventures and businesses on my social media platforms and people usually come to me to guide them to start the same business I am doing. That’s how I started coaching and mentoring others.
What kind of things do you teach in your freelance coaching and digital training? Is the work/career sustainable for you?
In my Freelance Academy, I teach job seekers in-demand digital skills, tech tools, and time-tested strategies and techniques that will help them secure a job on Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn, and other freelance sites. I share all of the knowledge and experience that I have accumulated as a seven-figure freelancer and that of my past students to help newbies become rockstar freelancers in just four weeks.
My team and I have trained over 15,000 students in my Freelance Academy (CEFA) and we have thousands of glowing testimonials that show the results of the training and how impactful the training is.
I feel so happy and fulfilled with what I do. My happiest moments are every time a student shares his/her job offer in our community or my inbox, and this happens every single day.
The internet and social media could be a hostile space that could lead to psychological issues and cyberbullying. Do you sometimes experience such hostilities?
Navigating the online space can be very tough and challenging, and just like many other social media users, I have faced my share of bullies, trolls, dragging and many other challenges. The major way I manage these challenges is by ignoring or blocking negativity on my pages and timeline, focusing only on positivity, and minding my business.
Many Nigerians believe that some online content creators/marketers are into internet fraud, also known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’. How does this make you feel? And what advice do you have for people who harbour such thoughts?
Freelancers get called ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ sometimes because we work from home 99 per cent of the time. When your neighbours don’t see you going out to work like them every day, they are bound to start talking, especially when they see you living what seems like a good life to them. When I meet people who harbour such thoughts, I usually get them informed by showing them the massive opportunities to make money in the online space from the comfort of their homes. Most of the time, I teach them what I do and they see for themselves that it’s a real job and not ‘Yahoo Yahoo’.
These days, virtually everything is done online, and social media has proven to be a global marketplace and source of information. How would you advise Nigerians on the exploration of this innovation space to grow their personal and national economies?
This is 2024 and I believe that anyone anywhere can make money online with just their smartphone and an internet connection. We are living in the best times possible in terms of money-making opportunities available to us. My advice to my fellow youths, especially those who don’t have jobs yet is to stop wasting their time following the latest gist on gossip blogs. Instead, they should use their time and smartphones to learn in-demand digital and tech skills, and once they master the skills, they should monetize them by offering their skills and services to clients who need them in exchange for money.
Early last month, when you relocated to the United Kingdom (UK), you narrated how you were detained at the London airport for over four hours over what you described as stereotype issues associated with Nigeria and Nigerians. Could you explain what happened and how the problem was resolved?
I entered the UK on the 7th January, 2024, on a student visa. During the immigration checks, I presented my documents to the officials and one of them felt that my references from school and my employer were fake. It was on a Sunday morning and they had to keep me for hours, pending when they were able to verify that they weren’t fake. Emails were sent to my professors and my employer, and fortunately for me, even though it was on a Sunday morning, they all replied and confirmed that indeed the references came directly from them. The immigration officers apologised to me afterwards, offered me some words of encouragement, and wished me a splendid stay in the UK.
What are your reasons for relocating to the UK? And, so far, how have you been managing/coping there?
My main purpose of going to the UK is to study and explore the country. I’m fully transitioning from agriculture to tech and I know getting a master’s degree in one of the top UK schools — York St John University, London — will help advance my career. I’m a travel enthusiast and I also wanted to tick the UK as one of the countries I’ve visited, lived in, and explored. I have just one year to stay in the UK before moving to another country. The country is well-structured and organised so it was easy for me to adapt quickly.
So far, how would you compare Nigeria to the UK in terms of cost of living, inter-neighbor relationships, value system, and sense of community?
The cost of living in Nigeria and the UK differs significantly with the cost of living in the UK being much higher than that of Nigeria. Some people who are currently working and have lived in the UK for a long time may not agree with this, but as a new immigrant and a student studying in the UK who is not yet working and making money in pounds, I feel that the cost of living in the UK is very high, especially the rent.
In terms of the value system, I could tell how much Nigeria lacked in this aspect when I arrived in the UK. From entering the buses and trains to go to school, church, and events, I could see how everyone is accountable, obedient to orders, patient, and most importantly compassionate to the elderly, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. It was so beautiful to see.
Inter-neighbour relationships vary in both countries, but community bonds are much stronger in Nigeria than in the UK.
As an educated and career person now living in the UK, do you think the ‘Japa’ syndrome is doing Nigeria more harm than good? How would you advise the Nigerian government on this?
The ‘Japa’ syndrome is doing Nigeria more harm than good, as it is leading to a massive brain drain in all sectors of the country. However, Nigerians relocating abroad would get better opportunities to advance their career and their personal development. On the other hand, if the government refuses to do something about it, like creating a safe and conducive environment for personal and professional growth, investing in education, infrastructure, and job opportunities, the ‘Japa’ wave will only get worse.
Your Facebook profile says you are single. If a white Londoner proposes marriage to you, would you accept? What do you miss more about Nigeria and Nigerians now that you are in the UK?
I’m open to interracial relationships, and if I happen to meet a white Londoner that I love and he proposes marriage, I will accept. The only thing I miss about Nigeria is my family and friends.
About a year ago, you posted on your Facebook page that “I want to freelance and travel the world. This is the lifestyle that will make me happy.” Would you say you are living this dream now?
I have travelled to four countries in the past seven months — Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, and the UK. So, I can say I am starting to live the dream. My goal is to travel to 50 countries in the next 10 years and since the Nigerian passport is limited, I need to get a second passport to be able to fully live out my dream life.
With your freelancing/digital career and your new endeavours in the UK, where do you see yourself in five years?
Having just switched from agriculture to tech, I know I have a lot to learn and a very long way to go. So, my main goal for the next few years is to learn as much as I can about the tech industry and find a mentor to help me hone my skills. In 2029, I see myself as a dedicated professional working in one of the top 100 companies in the United States (US) where I would contribute immensely to the company’s growth.
and then