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Imagine Kwame, the 32-year-old Ghanaian-British software engineer in London, swiping away on dating apps. He is not looking for a match in Shoreditch or Brixton; his search is 5,000 miles away, in Accra. Kwame is part of a rapidly swelling movement; the ‘Passport Bros’
But ‘Passport Bros’ is more than just social media slang. It’s a real, live, fire-catching-quick phenomenon: the family gossip kind. Take Kwame, for example, a Nigerian-American accountant in Houston, or Tendai, a Zimbabwean-Canadian entrepreneur in Toronto.
For men raised in the West like them, the homelands of the older generations are fast becoming the places where they find love, marriage, and identity. 
But why is this happening?
A Blast from the Past? How Did We Get Here?
To understand this ‘Passport Bros’ trend, we have got to take this little ride down memory lane. Remember all those stories your folks used to tell you about how they met?
Maybe your dad, just like Uncle Kofi, spotted your mom at some village festival in Ghana, and it was love at first sight. Or just like Aunty Amina, went to Nigeria for some cousin’s wedding and returned home with a husband.
Of course, these stories are not all nostalgic; they are precursors of what obtains today. For many decades, Africans have migrated to the West. The UK’s Office for National Statistics reports that the African-born population in the UK has more than doubled since 2001, going over 1.5 million in 2021.
At the same time, the Migration Policy says the number of African immigrants residing in the United States has risen from just 80,000 in 1970 to over 2 million in 2019.
Why Do Diaspora Men Seek Wives from Back Home?
Let me break down now why these ‘Passport Bros’ go seeking love on their ancestral turf.
1. Cultural Compatibility
Most diaspora men think that back-home girls will understand their cultural background and value system better. Some of them need someone who would understand why elders must be respected, how nice eating pounded yam with their hands is, or the reason for traditional ceremonies.
2. Family Values
There’s this feeling that women from back home are more family-oriented and traditional. A wife who knows how to bring people together at home, shows respect to your parents, and has the same vision as you of bringing up kids with solid African values.
3. Economic Factors
Let’s be real, some diaspora men feel that they are more economically attractive to women back home. A report from the World Bank estimated that remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa grew 14.1 percent to $49 billion in 2021. It is not just about money, but opportunities they can provide for a family.
4. Social Media Sorcery
For those seeking brides back home, diaspora men have never had it easier, with Instagram and Facebook, and even dedicated apps like AfricanDate. You can almost imagine it as having a catalog of potential partners right in your hands, their background information and mutual friends included.
Challenges: It’s Not All Roses
But hold on, before the packing of bags for a ‘wife-finding’ mission, let’s talk about some of the challenges.
Now, I know what you are thinking: “This sounds great! Where do I sign up?” But slow down, my friend. This trend of diaspora men seeking wives from back home isn’t all smooth sailing.
First, there are cultural differences. You might both love pounded yam, but growing up in different countries can lead to serious misunderstandings.
Take, for instance, Kwesi and Ama. Kwesi, being raised in London, expected equal partnership in doing house chores. Ama, being raised in Kumasi, expected demarcated gender roles. So the first year of marriage they had to study how to negotiate culturally on the fly.
And then, of course, there is the paperwork. Getting your new bride to join you in your adopted country is just not as easy as booking a flight. Facing them are paperwork, interviews, and a whole load of bureaucracy.
According to the EU Home Affairs, By 2022, the rejection rate for African applicants had risen to 30%, and the global rate increased to 17.5%, higher than the global average. Enough to pull your hair out!
And, of course, then there’s the possibility of miscommunication. LDRs are hard enough, time zones and cultural expectations included. Like trying to solve the puzzle of how to make it work Rubik’s cube blindfolded.
Conclusion: What’s the Verdict?
Ultimately, it is a trend that revolutionizes love and marriage within the diaspora communities where men seek to get wives from back home. It’s bringing people together across continents, challenging our ideas about relationships, and creating new kinds of families.
Whether you’re one of those ‘Passport Bros’ yourself or you watch from the sidelines, one thing is for sure: this trend is here to stay. It’s a reflection of our globalized world: love truly knows no borders, and a solid Wi-Fi connection might just equate to a lifelong commitment.
So, the next time you hear of a diaspora man in search of a wife back home, don’t judge. You never know; you might just be about to witness the start of the most beautiful cross-continental love story.
As Chinua Achebe said, “If you don’t like someone’s story, write your own.” These ‘Passport Bros’? They are writing love stories across oceans and cultures.
READ: Respect is Non-Negotiable: How to Handle a Disrespectful Partner
If you’re in a relationship with a disrespectful partner, it’s important to understand the signs of disrespect, its impact, and strategies for handling the situation. Click here to read.
