It didn’t take long for Chinedu to feel unwelcome in Sweden.
When he arrived from Nigeria in 2018, joining several hundred thousand Africans in a country of 10 million, at first he thought he’d found the tolerant, inclusive society that was regularly near the top of global rankings for quality of life and happiness. He enrolled in Malmo University and worked towards a Masters in international migration studies, made friends and got a job. But he said he and his family soon encountered racism, and he’s now so fearful for their safety that he asked not to be identified by his real name.
When Chinedu and his wife are out shopping, people tend to look the other way to avoid making any eye contact, he said. At school, he said kids shout at his children to “go home” and yell that “Blacks don’t belong here.” Following the gains of the far-right Sweden Democrats in September’s general election, he said he feels ever more uneasy in his adopted country.
