A Nigerian man has sparked debate online after warning Nigerians abroad against wasting money building houses back home, citing his father’s experience as a cautionary tale.

In a trending post shared by @joebrendan on X (formerly Twitter), the man shared a heartfelt message to Nigerians in the diaspora struggling abroad just to build houses in their hometowns.

According to him, many people working abroad makes the mistake of chasing cultural validation instead of building comfort where they actually live.

“Please if you have relocated to the UK, US, or Canada and you dream to raise your family there, stop the habit of buying houses in Abuja and Lagos except you are buying it for investment to sell later,” he wrote.

He explained that most Nigerians abroad are sacrificing their comfort just to complete houses they’ll visit only once or twice a year.

“Pump all your monies into buying houses in that country you’re staying. Your kids have an 80% chance of not coming back to stay in Nigeria. So all the houses you are accumulating here at the expense of their comfort there, will go to waste,” he warned.

The man recounted how his father built a large house in the village that no one lives in anymore.

“My dad built a very huge home in the village; the house is empty today. None of his kids want it. He himself doesn’t even want it again. That was a total waste of money.”

He ended his post with a blunt message to Nigerians in the diaspora: The house you build back home, you may live in it two weeks a year. Invest more money in your comfort where you live.

Life is for the living. Stop doing things because it’s tradition or culture.