From Canada to Benin - Going 'Home'.

The rare move - Canada to Benin. 

Living in a diverse city like Toronto has many upsides, one of them is meeting amazing people with interesting backgrounds from all over the world. Over many years of connecting with people with complex identities, I have had to relearn what makes a person a person - the intangible pieces that form one's identity, culture, brand, personality and much more. The concept of identity is very fascinating. I have met people who are very proud and passionate about places they barely knew physically. I have learnt how a sense of identity influences how we align ourselves socio-culturally, the careers we pursue and even the mundane weekly hobbies we pick up. It was not until I moved to North America that I began to notice how culture and identity influence how we see ourselves as individuals in a diverse group and who we become as adults. I didn’t make much of my identity and culture. My names and the fact that I could count many generations of my grandfathers were things I just happen to have. I have personally had to update my identity – with some help from Google. It turned out there was a new world of black guy stereotypes that I was suppose to know and be proud of or be offended about, but didn’t... 
I have been thinking deeply about this concept of identity and how it manifests itself in decisions that people make daily to improve their lives. In an effort to have happy lives, a few years after finishing school, we make decisions that determine what our lives will be for the next 50 or so years. So what really makes someone happy with their lives? Why do we choose to live in a given location when we could easily live somewhere else? I have read somewhere that a great deal of human happiness is derived from having strong social ties. A strong sense of belonging and unconditional acceptance in one’s desired social group. These go a long way towards making someone happy than material things. One person inspired me to blog about this topic.

 In 2014, a Grenadian-Canadian friend of mine, Bàbá Délé, moved to Benin, much to the bedazzlement of the locals. He settled in Cotonou, immersed himself into the local community and started learning local languages. He is now fairly fluent in the 2 most widely spoken languages in Benin, Fon Gbe and Yoruba. This is on top of his French and English skills. Since English is his first language, his accent will take more time to tweak – he says. He has since gotten married to local girl and is proud that his daughter will have a mother tongue. He has gone through a journey of intense learning and growth. But above all, he is happy with his choices. I am very impressed by his decisions and decided to share his story. 

sharing a hug with his mom in Canada

Taking part in social dance at a local cultural centre in Benin

Climbing a coconut tree getting 

Notice the colors on his belt?Pan-African colors

In-laws bringing gifts

father second from right

Bàbá Délé and his family

I asked him a few questions to make sense of his journey. Below are his answers:

Why did you choose to settle in Benin, of all the countries of the world?

Well, I first came to Benin while taking part in an exchange program. It was 6 months, 3 months in Quebec and 3 months in Benin with 9 Canadians and 9 Beninese. So, from doing the program I was able to get my foot in the door and make friends, and really get to see that Africa was not so far after all. Also, from the stories that I heard in Grenada from my great-grandmother about my great-great-great-grandfather, I figured that he must've been from around this region. With that in mind, as well as the fact that I knew I wanted to work with the local languages in some regard, I decided Benin would be my destination for repatriation.

Benin is a third world country and Canada is a first world country. Current migration patterns mostly involve people moving from a third world country to a first world country looking for a better life. What do the locals think of your choice to settle in Benin when you could have a “quality” life in Canada? And how do you justify this decision to yourself?

That's a great question. This is one that few understand. I will put it to you like this, in the movie The Mummy,  there is a scene where a bunch of Americans, who are on an excavation on sacred site, are chased away by a group of local Bedouins whose duty it is to guard that site. One of the Americans says after "ah! They just want all the treasure for themselves." To which another American replies "they're a desert people. They value water, not gold." And that is how I view myself here. When people ask me why in the hell I would leave Canada.

It is a highly spiritual, ancestral journey which has "called me back" to Africa.  I get satisfaction in the things that locals take for granted. The traditional spiritual practices, speaking African languages, etc. It all means so much to me. I value water, not gold.

As you may have already figured out, Africans speak multiple languages and a language that that is useful to get by in one village can be useless in the next one. Have you learned any of the common local languages there?

The local languages that I am currently studying are Fongbe and Yoruba. I would say that maybe I have an intermediate level in the two of them for now.

You addressed me in Swahili and beside the 2 languages mentioned previously, what other languages do you speak and why did you decide (or try) to learn them?

I don't speak Swahili yet!  Lol I studied it back in late 2011/ early 2012 before my first ever trip to Africa in February 2012, which was to Tanzania.

I have a knowledge of Arabic, but never reached fluency, however I plan to pick it back up one day

Languages are my absolute passion. I love them. I have a particular interest in African languages, especially those ones that allow for mass communication on the continent. 

What do you do to win bread for your brand new family there? And how do you spend your spare time and weekends?

I teach English here at a British international school.  Other than that, I'm just with family and sometimes friends. Once in a while I spend a weekend in the village

How is your integration into the Beninese community local community? Do you feel like an outsider or they have fully accepted you as one of them?

Benin is pretty calm, man.  Well, a lot of people think I'm a white dude lol other than that, it's pretty chill.  Especially when I tell my story.

I hear having a new baby gives you an emotional satisfaction despite the rigorous amount of effort required to raise them early on. How has the birth of your daughter changed your life?

You know babies are a full time job lol. But most definitely! It’s the most intense emotion I've ever felt

Certainly you are proud of the fact that your daughter will have a mother tongue. What did you name her and is there a story behind the name?

I named my daughter Ębímidélé, which means ‘my family has come back home’ in Yoruba

Benin is fairly far away from Canada and I would imagine you don’t exchange regular visits with your immediate family. What do they think of your journey?

My family supports me. Of course they miss me, but they understand my journey and are happy for me. Especially my father who will be making his second trip to Benin in January to see me.

Goodbye message from mom was: "I am so proud of your choices. I am so excited for you. As I've told you again and again. Obviously, we all wish you a safe flight. I know you will settle in immediately. Eric & I miss you already!!! Love Mom"

Here in North America, I regularly meet black people who are passionate about Africa like you. However, many would-be visitors are deterred by the economic hardships in many Sub Saharan African countries. What do you think they will make of your story if you were to share your experiences with them?

I think it may reassure some black people in the west to take the plunge!  Lol. They won't regret it. In the Caribbean, we are lucky if we can count up to four great-great grandparents. Slavery destroyed our history and our families.