Four years ago, I started mainly buying secondhand clothing. I timidly - but conceitedly - pride myself on never having purchased a single item from Shein or Temu. My unwavering love for food does not prevent me from seeing it as a political battleground, one that is not detached from ethics.

But beyond this administrative hurdle lies the financial toll especially for Africans. As of March 2025, a standard EU Schengen visa fee was pegged at €110, (from last year's €90) but additional costs such as travel insurance, biometric fees, transportation to embassies, and courier charges can bump up expenses to nearly double the official fee in a single attempt.

The active and inactive mental decision of these characters to leave, in my understanding, implies their continued refusal to accept the shoddy social, economical, cultural and political realities of their immediate environment and country. Their migration dream isn’t an apathetic decision.