Nollywood comic actor Bayo Bankole, popularly known as Boy Alinco has opened up about his difficult journey to obtaining United States citizenship.
Bankole, widely known for his role in the sitcom Papa Ajasco, shared his experience during a recent appearance on The Teju Babyface Show.
The 56-year-old actor revealed that he left his family in Nigeria in 2015 to pursue US citizenship through marriage.
Prompt News reports, according to the actor, that he tied the knot just seven months after meeting his partner.
However, the first two years of the marriage proved to be challenging, marked by financial struggles and hardship.
Reflecting on that period, Bankole said he had to take on menial jobs to support both his family in the US and his loved ones back in Nigeria.
He attributed some of the difficulties to his joint financial arrangements with his wife and a lack of proper guidance in navigating the immigration process.
“My case was unfortunate because I had no one to advise me on the citizenship process,” he said.
Despite the hardships, the actor expressed gratitude that his life has since improved and that he now has his children from Nigeria with him in the US.
He also emphasized that he harbors no resentment toward his wife and is focused on moving forward.
“I have had the opportunity of traveling way back in 1999 and 2000 frequently. But I came to the US for the first time in April 2015,” he recalled. “Then I met a lady. When I came back in October 2015, I got settled and decided to get married. But it was a bitter experience for me. Eventually, I had to stay back. Two years of an experience that I will not want to recall. It was just like what I wrote when I eventually got my green card that truly I am an Asunkungbade—one who fights to earn his crown. At the end of the day, all glory be to God.”
The actor spoke about the challenges immigrants face when seeking legal residency in the US, highlighting the various routes available and the difficulties that come with them.
“There are processes to citizenship. There are processes to getting a green card. Do you want to go through asylum? The process of immigration does not come easy. Some guys are fortunate. They get it so easily. But not all of us. If you bring 10 guys out, eight will have a nasty experience,” he said.
“You have situations that if you go through marriage, if you are fortunate to have a good woman, thank your star for it. And if you do not have a good woman, please endure and enjoy it. The situation becomes so difficult when you have your loved ones back at home who depend on you. You are struggling with their survival here and at home.”
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