Nigeria: Summary of Interview with Dr. Omoche Cheche Agada

Introduction 

Dr. Omoche Cheche Agada is an Assistant Professor of Information Sciences and Technology in the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University. Dr. Agada was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He completed his primary and secondary education in Lagos before going on to complete a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at the University of Lagos. He moved to the United States in 2014 to pursue a master’s degree in Computer and Information Science at Southern Arkansas University and eventually moved on to receive another master’s degree in Digital Forensics and a PhD in Information Technology with a concentration in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics from George Mason University. In August 2022, Dr. Agada started as an Assistant Professor at George Mason University after working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant while he was completing his degrees. His current research interests lie at the “intersection of Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics, Data Science, and Machine Learning.” Dr. Agada wishes that more people understood that the immigration system “is not as easy as people think it is” and that “it's difficult to turn back because sometimes when you leave [home], you don't leave anything behind and there's nothing much you have to return to.”

Life Before Migration 

Before Dr. Agada moved to the United States in 2014, he had thought about moving for a while. He shared that he had worked to save money so that he could pursue his education abroad: “I think the first time I decided [that I wanted] to move was around the year 2000. I had not gotten my bachelor's degree yet, and I wanted to study abroad, but I couldn't achieve that at the time. So, I went ahead and got my bachelor's degree, worked for some time, saved up some money, and then I decided to come study for my Master's here. And eventually that happened in 2014.”

Dr. Agada also shared a little about his financial situation before moving to the United States and how he saved up money for school. He said:

“It was good, I would say, because I had enough to live on and some to spare. I had worked for about six years and saved up some money. It wasn't anywhere close to what would take me through my entire school program, but it was good enough to get me started. I worked in immigrations, I worked in the visa section of the British Consulate in Nigeria. I served people who wanted to travel from Nigeria to the United Kingdom.”

Reasons for Moving 

Dr. Agada moved to the United States in 2014 to continue pursuing his education. He explained his choice to move to the United States. He said:

“I went to Southern Arkansas University for my master’s degree, but I also got a master's degree at George Mason as well as my PhD. At the time I thought the path [going to the United States] to a permanent situation was better than in some other places, but it turned out that it wasn't as easy as I had thought. I compared the United States to the United Kingdom and to Canada. These were the options I considered. At the time I was working with the British government in Nigeria, so I pretty much understood the UK immigration system, it was not a good option for me at the time. Then I looked at Canada, while they had an easier path after graduation, getting into Canada was a bit more complex. So, the United States appeared to have been the easiest at the time, but it wasn't actually the easiest, I just didn't have all the information.”

Perceptions of the United States 

Dr. Agada had a complex view of the United States before moving here. On the one hand, he mentioned that the immigration process was more difficult than he anticipated. On the other hand, the United States was exactly how he pictured it and, in some ways, even better. He said:

“I mean, other than the fact that the immigration process was more difficult than I thought, everything that I was told about the United States is what I have found it to be. The United States is a place where people can come and start life and achieve what their dreams are, and that's what I thought about it. That's what I had read about it or seen in movies and documentaries. And that's what I think it turned out to be for me. As a matter of fact, I think it probably surpassed my expectations in terms of what I could achieve coming here.”

Dr. Agada also talked about the differences in culture, language, and food between Nigeria and the United States. He said:

“In Nigeria, for instance, we speak English, but we have a British orientation of English which is different from the American English language. So that has been something I had to adapt to, to understand what people are actually trying to say. I've also had to adjust the way I speak so that people can understand what I'm saying. The language is one thing, the food is another, it's something else. It's a different kind of food culture, in Nigeria, we don't eat out a lot, I mean, we do eat out, but it's kind of a once in a while thing. It's not very common for most families, and certainly not for my family, but it's a big deal here, the culture is very different.”

Challenges and Accomplishments

Dr. Agada has dealt with a variety of challenges since moving to the United States. He discussed settling into the country initially and navigating the immigration system as his biggest challenges. He said:

“I think I will say settling, the immigration system has been the biggest challenge.  I understand why immigration should be a fundamental part of policy and law in every country, but sometimes I think it is slow, and I also think it is bureaucratic, and sometimes it's very unclear. For instance, when I came [to the United States], my impression before I came was that if I come, I go to school, I graduate, I can get a work permit, I can work, and then decide how to settle. But there are other things involved. After graduation, you have to find a job within a specified period of time, like three months. If you don't find a job in that time, then you have to leave the country or you have to go back to school. So, all of that was a little difficult to navigate, which kind of slowed me down, but at the end of the day, it made me go straight into my PhD, which I wasn't planning to do at the time. So that was my biggest challenge, but it turned out to also be what has helped me achieve my dreams early. Even though I had planned for my PhD, I would not have completed it at the time I did if things were easier.”

In addition to the challenges he faced, Dr. Agada discussed some of his proudest accomplishments. He said:

“Completing my PhD is the biggest one for me, I always thought I was going to do it, but I had planned to work for a while after my masters and go back later for the PhD, perhaps do it part time. I went into it because I had only a few options and that was the most viable option open to me at the time. I didn't think I was prepared for it, and I didn't think I was going to complete it, but somehow I was able to finish, it’s my biggest accomplishment so far.”

Future Aspirations 

Aside from everything he has accomplished as a professor, Dr. Agada says that there is so much that he still wants to do, both academic and otherwise. He said:

“I currently work as a professor, but I intend to practice in the industry [Information Sciences and Technology] for a while and maybe come back to academia. I also have other ambitions in terms of other professions that I would like to go into. I’d like to go into the arts a little bit. Drama and movies are things I hope to explore sometime in the future. Perhaps going into business, things like that. I don't know which ones I will be able to accomplish and which ones I will not, but as I get the opportunity, I will see what I can do.” 

Message About Immigration 

To wrap up the interview, Dr. Agada was asked what he wishes more people knew about immigration. He discussed how he wished more people understood how difficult it is and that it is not a decision that is made lightly or without a lot of planning. He said:

“The system is not as easy as people think it is. Sometimes citizens say, ‘oh, they're coming here to take all our jobs.’ It's not that easy. Sometimes the jobs that immigrants take are jobs that are rejected by American citizens, that people – Americans – don't really want to do. These are the jobs that sometimes we find to do. And so, it's not an easy path, and when people decide to leave their homes and their comfort (and sometimes discomfort) and go somewhere else, they're looking for a better opportunity, a better life.  If people understand this maybe they will consider treating immigrants better.

Some of us come from places where we have had some really difficult life experiences, there’s no going back. So, we hustle to survive and make it work somehow. You make a lot of sacrifices; you may stay away from your family for a very long time. You don't go back home, because maybe if you go, you may not be able to return.  It's a difficult life to live.  I've spoken to lots of people who wish they never left home. It's a decision that once you make, it's difficult to turn back because sometimes when you leave [home], you don't leave anything behind and there's nothing much you have to return to. So whatever situation you find, you just deal with it.  This is something that not just Americans should know, but even the people that we leave back home.”

You can read more about Dr. Agada here.