Former retail banker, Francis Ushie, has recounted how he became separated from his wife and four children after they relocated to Canada, alleging that his wife blocked him from contacting her or locating their home.
Ushie said he was married to a woman from Obuloku in Delta State and that their marriage experienced difficulties, including alleged infidelity on his wife’s part. He said he chose to forgive her, hoping that relocating to Canada would give the family a fresh start and help resolve their marital problems.
According to Ushie, their application for Canadian permanent residency was eventually approved, prompting him to resign from his banking job in preparation for the relocation.
However, he said his wife and their four children travelled to Canada ahead of him, while he remained in Nigeria for almost a year because his former bank needed to complete an audit of his position.
Ushie said he eventually travelled to Canada in November 2014 but was allegedly left stranded at Calgary International Airport after his wife refused to provide their address.
“Unfortunately, when my wife got there, she blocked me and didn’t give me the address where she was staying,” he said.
He said he returned to Nigeria using his return ticket and later remained in the country while pursuing compensation from the Lagos State Government over a demolished property and waiting for funds from his business.
Ushie claimed that he has remained separated from his family since 2016, describing the prolonged separation as a period in which he lived like a refugee without companionship.
He also alleged that his wife prevented their children from communicating with him, although he said he remains open to reconciling with her.
Appealing directly to his children, Ushie maintained that he had been a responsible father, claiming that he paid for their passports, flights and two years’ rent in Canada.
By Musekir Faisat Omolara
