A Nigerian man, Baridueh Badon, recently shared his inspiring journey of securing a better job abroad after being fired by his boss, who promoted his girlfriend instead. In a post on X, Baridueh revealed that he was earning N1 million a month working for an NGO when his boss dismissed him in favor of advancing his girlfriend’s career. Despite his manager’s support and his own efforts to keep the job, Baridueh found himself unemployed.
Soon after, he came across an opportunity for a fellowship program supported by the German President and various industries, shared in his class WhatsApp group. Motivated to leave Nigeria, he applied and was selected as one of 47 fellows out of 5,600 applicants from 45 African countries. His profile for the fellowship program can be found here: Baridueh Badon Profile.
The German government arranged his visa, and during his interview, a Nigerian staff member amusingly asked, “Doc, why are you still single with this kind of amazing CV?”
While waiting to depart for Germany, Baridueh accepted another NGO role in Abuja, only to find the work environment even more toxic, reaffirming his decision to move abroad. His flight to Germany was scheduled for August 1, 2019, just a month after the U.S. government closed the NGO office in Port Harcourt, leaving his former boss’s girlfriend unemployed. Meanwhile, Baridueh’s career thrived globally, while his former boss continued seeking local opportunities.
Reflecting on his experience, Baridueh believes that God used these difficult circumstances to push him out of his comfort zone, knowing he wouldn’t have left a well-paying job for an internship otherwise. “God turned what the enemy meant for evil into good,” he shared, encouraging others to trust in Jesus and saying, “May God make you uncomfortable!”
As he celebrated his 37th birthday, Baridueh reflected on the life-changing milestones he’s achieved since moving to Germany at 32:
• At 32: Transitioned from earning in naira to euros, left a toxic relationship, and completed executive education at Cambridge.
• At 33: Took on his first international role, tripled his salary in euros, finished his MBA, and met the love of his life.
• At 34: Earned a promotion, married his partner, and soon after, they became pregnant.
• At 35: Changed jobs, tripling his salary again, became a father, and managed several complex projects.
• At 36: Became a permanent resident of Germany, bought his wife her dream sports car, and explored multiple investment opportunities.
Baridueh highlighted that he had mapped out a five-year plan for career and personal growth at 32, and has already achieved 80% of it through strategic thinking, innovation, and self-improvement. He expressed deep gratitude, concluding, “It’s been God. I am very grateful and give Him all the glory.”
