When I first came to Bournemouth University, I was surprised to know that other Nigerians also attend Bournemouth University as I felt that I was going to be the only Nigerian in my class. This has also been one of the many pleasant surprises of my classmates (who are also Nigerians of course!!) as most of us felt that Bournemouth University is not as “Nigerian” as the rest of the commonly known universities in the UK. When people ask me where I study and I mention Bournemouth University, the majority of the questions I get are:

“Are there many Nigerians at Bournemouth University?’’

“Do they have Nigerian restaurants and stores?”

“Are there places of worship that you can fit into?”

Well, to all these questions, my answer is YES, YES, YES!

BU has lots and lots of Nigerian students in almost every discipline.

BU has strong international ties (especially with Nigeria) and BU provides a wide range of scholarships for which Nigerians are eligible. So there are lots of Nigerians studying both at undergraduate, postgraduate and PHD levels, and scholarships as well as discounts are offered at all levels.

BU  has a very beautiful campus in Lansdowne which is a hub to one Nigerian restaurant and one international market which sells all kinds of Nigerian products including foodstuffs for preparing our traditional dishes.

One of the delicacies I prepared

Everything comes at a very reasonable price and the beauty of this is that during coffee breaks or lunch breaks, one can always hop down to buy anything that has a taste of home.

My colleague getting foodstuffs for the week!

There are also two church centres in Bournemouth namely: RCCG (need i say more about how Nigerian this church is) and Breath of Life Ministries (You immediately feel at home once you step in).  The RCCG is located in Lansdowne and it is a centre of worship for many students attending the Lansdowne Campus, while Breath of Life Ministries is located in Talbot and is a centre of worship for many students attending the Talbot Campus. (BU has two campuses by the way, but the good thing is that they are just about 15 minutes away from each other.)

There is also a Nigerian Society at Bournemouth University and it is a fun society to belong to. Every semester there is usually an event to look forward to, which gives you the opportunity to mingle with other Nigerians and eat Nigerian delicacies.

At the Bournemouth Nigerian Society Buffet

At the Suya Booth: Bournemouth Nigerian Society Buffet

Coming to Bournemouth University, I have never had to miss having a taste of home, as Bournemouth has helped me fit into my hub of fellow Nigerians.

I’m sure you’ll feel the same too when you come here.

It’s a home away from home.

By Oluseye Ayomide, MSc Public Health