•Francis Ushie
A Nigerian man, Francis Ushie, has recounted how he became separated from his wife and four children after they relocated to Canada, saying he was left stranded at an airport when he could not locate his family.
Ushie, in a seated interview shared on YouTube by channel; The Rest of Us, said he was married to a woman from Obulu Gunu in Delta State, but their relationship became strained following what he described as family issues and a disagreement bordering on alleged infidelity.
According to him, he had hoped that relocating to Canada would help improve their relationship and provide a better environment for the family.
He said he resigned from his banking job after the family’s Canadian residency permits were approved, but his wife and their four children travelled ahead of him while his former employer conducted an audit of his position.
Ushie said the audit lasted almost a year, preventing him from travelling with his family.
He said: “When the Canada residency permit came to live with my family, that’s the main reason I resigned from the banking job. When it came, they left before me, she left with our four children.
“I was still behind because the bank needed to audit my position. It took them almost one year to audit me. That was why I could not travel to Canada with my family.”
Ushie said that by the time he eventually travelled to Canada in November 2014, his wife had allegedly blocked him and refused to provide the family’s address.
He said he arrived at Calgary International Airport, known by its airport code YYC, but was unable to locate his wife and children.
“I eventually went to Canada in 2014 November. I could not locate where my wife was staying with our children. I was stranded at the airport, YYC airport in Canada,” he said.
According to him, he eventually returned to Nigeria because he had a return ticket and could not establish contact with his family.
Ushie said he had continued to seek reconciliation since 2016, but claimed that his wife had remained unwilling to reconcile.
He also alleged that she had prevented their children from communicating with him.
“Since 2016 till now, I tried for us to reconcile, but she is not ready to reconcile. I am not forcing her,” he said.
“Apart from being a refugee, I have no companion for now. She has also stopped the children from communicating with me.”
Ushie said he was considering contacting Canadian authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding his separation from his family.
He, however, stressed that his primary concern was maintaining a relationship with his children.
“I am considering maybe writing to the Canadian authority to let them know what happened. I am still ready to reconcile with my wife,” he said.
“My issue is that she should allow my children to talk to me. With that I will be okay. I want to let them know I am not an irresponsible father.”
Ushie also defended his role in providing for his family, saying he had been responsible for the relocation of his children to Canada and had financially supported the family.
“I was responsible for sending five of them to Canada, they should check the cost,” he said.
“Their mother was a full housewife. Two-year rent I paid for rent there in Canada, so please, my children, I am a very responsible father.”
Ushie said he remained open to reconciliation with his wife but wanted access to his children and an opportunity to maintain a relationship with them.
