Man Narrates How His Mother Deported Him From Atlanta to Nigeria
- A Nigerian man living in Atlanta shared how his mother sent him and his younger sibling back to Nigeria after his sophomore year in the US
- Despite nearly every family friend, community member, and their pastor pleading with her, the mother went ahead with her decision
- The Washington, DC-born man shared that his mother tore up his passport upon arrival in Nigeria and enrolled him in a boarding school
A Nigerian man based in Atlanta has opened up about a dramatic chapter from his teenage years, when his mother made the life-altering decision to send him back to Nigeria against his will.
Source: UGC
In an Instagram post shared in August 2026, Michael Mayowa Sonariwo recalled how his return to Atlanta stirred up powerful memories, chief among them the moment his mother uprooted him and his younger sibling from their life in Washington, DC, and flew them back to Nigeria after his sophomore year.
He described how his mother's resolve was unshakeable, even as almost every voice around her tried to change her mind.
Family friends, members of the Nigerian community in Atlanta, and even their pastor all appealed to her, but she remained firm. On the day of the flight, she was in tears herself, telling him to appreciate the sacrifice she was making on his behalf.
Boarding school in Nigeria
The moment they landed in Nigeria, his mother tore up his passport, and he was placed in a boarding school.
He described the experience as so difficult that after six months, he sneaked out as he and some friends visited the US Embassy, where he claimed his mother was holding him against his will.
Embassy officials offered him a flight back to the United States. However, he chose to stay, knowing that returning to America at that point would mean being disowned by his family. He reasoned that waiting one more year would not hurt him.
That patience eventually led him in a different direction entirely. Rather than returning directly to the US, he ended up in the United Kingdom, where he completed both his undergraduate and master's degrees.
"I'm thankful that I left Atlanta."
Looking back, Sonariwoondeck said he was grateful for what his mother did. He reflected that had he remained in Atlanta from the age of 17, he would have become a completely different person, and not necessarily for the better.
He credited his mother's difficult decision with shaping who he became.
The Instagram post below has the video in which the Nigerian man shared his story.
Reactions to man's Nigerian boarding school experience
The post struck a chord with many Nigerians online, particularly parents who recognised the strategy.
001.glam wrote:
"She brought you to Nigeria for factory resets 😂."
djbign commented:
"Factory reset…… never fails 😂😂😂."
lyndaclems said:
"As a Nigerian boymom in Atlanta, I'm proud of your Mom! 👏🏾."
partygooevents noted:
"Another September loading for so many Nigerian kids ….I know one coming back 😂."
heavenly_seed shared:
"Exactly what I just did to my 15-year-old daughter this summer. She is in Nigeria as we speak and going to a boarding house as well."
Veteran Nigerian comedian Tumbuleke dies at 86
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Alhaji Muhammad Sani Gwarzo, the veteran Nigerian comedian widely celebrated under the stage name Tumbuleke, died at the age of 86 following a prolonged illness.
He breathed his last at approximately 3 pm on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, in Kaduna State.
His passing marks the end of a remarkable chapter in Nigerian entertainment history, particularly for the Hausa-speaking community, which long regarded him as one of its most beloved comic voices.
Source: YEN.com.gh
